Deadline Calculator
Check the deadline for appealing a benefit decision, filing a tribunal claim, or challenging a housing decision.
Disclaimer
About this tool — how it works
This calculator holds nine common UK legal and administrative deadlines, grouped into benefits, employment, housing, complaints, and legal categories. You choose the type — for example a Mandatory Reconsideration, an Employment Tribunal claim, a homelessness decision review under section 202 of the Housing Act 1996, a Financial Ombudsman referral, or a judicial review — and enter the date of the decision or event. The tool then adds the fixed time limit for that deadline (from 21 days up to 6 months, using “3 months less 1 day” for the employment claims where that is the legal rule) and shows the resulting date and how many days remain.
The calculation is a plain calendar count from the date you enter. It does not adjust for bank holidays, weekends, postal delays, or the pause in the employment tribunal clock while Acas Early Conciliation is under way, and it does not check whether you have already taken a required step, such as contacting Acas before an employment claim.
This is a guide, not advice, and the result is only as reliable as the date you enter and the general rule it applies. Deadlines can be extended or refused at a decision-maker’s discretion, and some routes accept late applications for good reason while others do not. If your deadline is close, do not rely on this tool alone — check GOV.UK and get advice urgently.
Frequently asked questions
Which deadlines can this calculator work out?
Nine, across five categories: benefits (Mandatory Reconsideration and tribunal appeal, both 1 month), employment (Employment Tribunal, unfair dismissal, and discrimination claims, all 3 months less 1 day), housing (homelessness reviews and county court appeals under sections 202 and 204 of the Housing Act 1996, both 21 days), a Financial Ombudsman referral (6 months), and judicial review (3 months).
How does the calculator work out the deadline?
You pick the deadline type and enter the date of the decision or event. The tool then applies the period the statute actually uses. Some limits are counted in calendar months — one month for a Mandatory Reconsideration, three months less one day for an employment tribunal claim, six months to refer a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman — and a calendar month is not a fixed number of days, so one month from 31 January is 28 February, not 2 March. Others, such as the 21 days for a homelessness review, are genuine day counts. The result shows the deadline date and how many days remain.
Does it account for bank holidays or postal delays?
No. It performs a straightforward calendar calculation from the date you enter and does not adjust for bank holidays, weekends, postal delays, or time added for early conciliation with Acas. Treat the result as an estimate and check the exact rules for your situation.
What if I have already missed a deadline?
The calculator will still show the date and tell you it has passed, but it cannot tell you whether a late claim will be accepted. Several routes — including Mandatory Reconsiderations and benefit appeals — can sometimes be accepted late for good reason, so read the linked guide and consider getting advice quickly.