How to run probation reviews before 1 January 2027

Last checked 17 Oct 2026. Great Britain only. Dates can change.

Hold a short check in at about one month, a fuller review at three months and a final review at about five months, and write each one up and share it with the employee. This is good practice, not a legal requirement. Acas recommends regular reviews and informal check ins but does not set a fixed timetable, so the timings below are a suggestion.

Why this matters now

From 1 January 2027 the qualifying period for unfair dismissal is due to drop from two years to six months (see unfair dismissal from 1 January 2027). Acas says probation does not remove legal risk. Staff keep protection against discrimination and whistleblowing detriment during probation. Acas suggests considering performance support or an extension before deciding a probation outcome.

How long this takes

Plan 20 to 30 minutes per review, plus 10 minutes to prepare and 10 to write up. For a new starter that is roughly two hours over the first five months.

A simple timeline

1. Day one to week two: set expectations. Agree what good looks like in the first six months, the training planned and when reviews will happen. Put it in writing.
2. Around one month: informal check in. How are they settling in, what is going well, what do they need? Short notes are fine.
3. Around three months: formal review. Compare progress with the expectations you set. Give specific feedback and agree any support or training.
4. Around five months: final review preparation. Gather your evidence and give the employee what you plan to say so the outcome does not surprise them. Acas says the final review should not come as a surprise.
5. Before probation ends: the outcome. Acas lists three outcomes: pass, extension or failure. Tell the employee in writing.

For people who start in the next few weeks, work back from their six month date (start date plus six calendar months) and put every review in the diary on day one. Leave enough room after the five month review to act on what it shows.

How to run each review

• Prepare: re-read the expectations and the notes from the last review, and collect feedback from colleagues or customers.
• Share the main points with the employee beforehand so they can prepare.
• Hold it one to one, usually led by the line manager, and leave time for the employee to speak even when things are going well.
• Cover progress, how they are settling in, wellbeing, what support they need and any questions.
• If the employee is off sick, rearrange. For a long absence, think about whether the absence relates to a disability and whether adjustments or an extension would help.

What to record

• The date, who attended and how long it lasted
• The expectations in place at the time
• Specific examples of what went well and what did not, with dates
• What the employee said, in their words where possible
• Support, training or targets agreed, and the date of the next review
• Whether the notes were shared with the employee, and when

What good notes look like

Good notes are dated, factual and specific. "Missed the 4pm despatch cut off on 3 and 10 November. Discussed. Agreed a checklist and a buddy for two weeks." is useful. "Seems a bit slow" is not.

Keep them short, written at the time and consistent with what you told the employee. Acas says to keep a record of each review and share it with the employee, and that records need to follow UK GDPR.

What to avoid writing

• Opinions about personality, "fit" or attitude without examples
• Anything about health, age, pregnancy, race, religion or other protected characteristics
• Guesses about why someone behaves as they do
• Jokes or remarks you would not want read out in a tribunal
• Predictions such as "we will not keep her", written before the review has happened
• Comments suggesting that probation is a way to avoid process

Common mistakes

• Skipping the one and three month reviews, then raising problems for the first time at five months.
• Never sharing the notes with the employee.
• Relying on memory, then writing it up weeks later.
• Letting the six month date pass with no decision recorded.
• Treating probation as the end of the process. If you are heading towards a dismissal, follow a fair procedure. See the tribunal time limit for how long records may be needed.

This guide is general information to help you prepare, not legal advice. Take advice before dismissing a particular employee.

More guides

• How to work out when an employee reaches six months of service
• How to brief your managers on the Employment Rights Act changes in 20 minutes
• How to keep a dated record of what you do to prevent sexual harassment
• How to work out statutory sick pay under the new rules