A GOV.UK notice updated on 10 June 2026 states that applications and complaints intended for the Central Arbitration Committee should first be sent electronically to enquiries@cac.gov.uk. The text is brief, but it sets the initial submission route for cases entering the CAC system. (gov.uk)
The Central Arbitration Committee is not a general contact point for workplace disputes. GOV.UK describes it as an independent body with statutory powers that resolves collective disputes in England, Scotland and Wales, including trade union recognition, disclosure of information for collective bargaining and information and consultation arrangements. CAC hearings material separately describes the body as a tribunal with judicial responsibilities. (gov.uk)
That institutional role gives the filing instruction more weight than the short notice suggests. In the information and consultation jurisdiction alone, official guidance says there are 14 different types of application and complaint, covering questions such as whether employees made a valid request, whether an employer already had an agreement in place, whether negotiating representatives were appointed correctly and whether arrangements are operating effectively. (gov.uk)
Once a submission is received, the process moves quickly into a formal case-management stage. GOV.UK guidance says the CAC will acknowledge the case, invite the other party to respond, name the panel members and the case manager, and then decide whether to seek further information, explore informal resolution or list a formal hearing. In information and consultation matters, the response from the other party is normally sought within five working days. (gov.uk)
The papers themselves also carry consequences. The CAC says the application form and any supporting documents are copied to the other party, and the case is ordinarily handled by a three-member panel consisting of a chair or deputy chair, one member with employer-side experience and one with worker-side experience. Official guidance also says published decisions normally identify the employer, but not the names or contact details of individual employees. (gov.uk)
For employers, unions and employee representatives, the immediate effect is procedural discipline rather than a new legal test. Separate guidance still directs users to the relevant statutory form, while the CAC's service complaints procedure says concerns about the body's service can be raised by email, then escalated to the chief executive and, if still unresolved, through an MP to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. On that basis, the 10 June 2026 update appears to be an administrative clarification of where filings should begin, not a broader policy change. (gov.uk)