An updated GOV.UK notice from the Central Arbitration Committee states that all applications and complaints should first be submitted electronically to enquiries@cac.gov.uk. The notice was first published on 17 March 2020 and last updated on 6 May 2026, indicating that the instruction remains current. (gov.uk) The item is an operational clarification rather than a change to the underlying statutory regime. The notice itself does not announce any alteration to the CAC’s remit or powers; it sets the initial channel through which parties are expected to lodge material with the body. (gov.uk)
The CAC describes itself as an independent body with statutory powers that resolves collective disputes in England, Scotland and Wales either by voluntary agreement or, where necessary, through legal decision. Its published responsibilities include statutory trade union recognition, disclosure of information for collective bargaining, applications and complaints on information and consultation arrangements, certain European Works Council disputes, and employee involvement issues linked to the UK Societas domestic framework. (gov.uk) That remit explains why a brief contact update carries practical weight. The inbox named in the notice is the entry point for disputes that can affect recognition rights, consultation duties and collective bargaining arrangements across workplaces. (gov.uk)
The practical importance is clearest in the CAC’s own guidance. For information and consultation cases, employees at an organisation employing at least 50 people may ask for arrangements for informing and consulting staff, with 2 per cent of employees needed to make the request. The guidance says requests can go direct to the employer or to the CAC where confidentiality is needed, and it lists enquiries@cac.gov.uk alongside the CAC’s postal details. (gov.uk) Trade union recognition cases are similarly time-sensitive. The CAC’s guidance says the statutory route is available to independent unions seeking recognition at employers with at least 21 workers, and that a union must first write to the employer before applying to the CAC if the request is rejected or not answered within the required period. (gov.uk)
Once an application or complaint is received, the published process becomes more formal. In information and consultation cases, the CAC says it will acknowledge the matter, invite the other party to respond, name the panel members and case manager, and decide whether further information, an informal meeting or a formal hearing is needed. (gov.uk) Separate CAC guidance on the Information and Consultation Regulations says the other party will normally be asked to respond within five working days, with the CAC then indicating within a further five working days how it intends to handle the case. Decisions are normally made public, and there is a right of appeal to the Employment Appeal Tribunal on a question of law. (gov.uk)
The email-first instruction should also be read alongside the CAC’s separate complaints procedure, which deals with complaints about the service provided by the CAC itself rather than the merits of a statutory case. GOV.UK says most service complaints can be taken up with the person handling the matter, or otherwise by email to the same enquiries@cac.gov.uk address. (gov.uk) If a complainant remains dissatisfied, the published route is to write to the chief executive, Maverlie Tavares, with full details. If that still does not resolve the issue, the CAC says the complainant can ask an MP to refer the matter to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. (gov.uk)
Recent figures underline why a clear submission route matters. In its Annual Report for 2024-25, the CAC recorded 63 applications for trade union recognition under Part I of Schedule A1, one application under Part III, and no applications under Parts II, IV, V or VI. The same report states that the CAC received 192 written or email enquiries and responded to 100 per cent of them within three working days, while 92 per cent of survey respondents said they were fairly or very satisfied with the service. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk) Taken together, the current GOV.UK material points to a straightforward procedural message for employers, unions and employee representatives: use the official email inbox as the starting point for applications and complaints, then follow the form and case-management instructions that apply to the specific statutory route. (gov.uk)