Increase in Tribunal claims in past year

Whilst tribunal fees have now been removed, the Ministry of Justice has released statistics that show that employment tribunal applications increased last year when tribunal fees did apply, for the second year in a row. However the figures are still 100,000 less than the last full year before fees were introduced.

In the year to 31 March 2017 a total of 88,476 tribunal applications were made. This compares to 83,031 the previous year, 61,308 in 2014/15 and 105,803 in 2013/14. It is expected that next year’s figures will demonstrate a significant increase.

The highest sum awarded in a tribunal claim was £1,744,575.56 and awarded in an unfair dismissal claim. The highest award in a discrimination claim was £456,464 for race discrimination. This is reduced from the highest award last year which was over £1.7 million.

The number of costs awards made by the tribunal in 2016/17 has fallen for the third year in a row. The number made this year was only 479, having previously fallen from 870 in 2014/15 to 658 in 2015/16. Once again more awards were made to claimants than respondents.

The maximum costs award made was £146,404 with the median award dropping by £75 to just £925.