A GOV.UK notice from the Central Arbitration Committee states that all applications and complaints to the CAC should first be submitted electronically to enquiries@cac.gov.uk. The instruction is presented as the opening step for contacting the body, rather than a change to the substance of any application or complaint. (gov.uk)
The page appears under the title "How to submit applications and complaints to the CAC". GOV.UK shows it was first published on 17 March 2020, and the page record indicates a further update on 26 August 2026, which suggests the email-first direction remains the current published position. (gov.uk)
The procedural point matters because the CAC describes itself as an independent body with statutory powers. On its GOV.UK overview page, the committee says its 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 voluntary arbitration in collective disputes. (gov.uk)
For parties using the service, the operational effect is narrow but important. The published instruction means initial applications or complaints should begin by email to the CAC enquiries address, giving employers, workers, unions and representatives a single starting channel for the first stage of filing. (gov.uk)
Related CAC guidance on information and consultation cases gives a clearer sense of what follows after submission. That guidance says applicants should select the appropriate form, and that the CAC will acknowledge the case, invite the other party to respond, identify panel members and appoint a case manager as the contact point. (gov.uk)
Taken on its own, this is an administrative clarification rather than a wider policy development. Its practical significance is that organisations and representatives bringing matters to the CAC now have an explicit published instruction to submit applications and complaints electronically first. (gov.uk)