Osborne announces tribunal fees for claimants

Employment Law & HR update 06/10/2011

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced that claimants bringing employment tribunal cases will now be charged a fee for the first time.

George Osborne told the Conservative Party during his conference speech that the fee will only be refunded if the claimants win their case.

Whilst exact fees have not yet been confirmed, it is expected that they will sit at between £150 and £250 for making an employment tribunal application. Another £1,000 fee is likely to be charged for starting a hearing.

Mr Osborne said, “We respect the right of those who have spent their whole lives building a small business not to see that achievement destroyed by a vexatious appeal to an employment tribunal. We’re ending the one-way bet against small business.”

An employment expert said that, whilst the move towards charging fees would be a popular one with many employers across the UK, as it would likely cut the number of ‘spurious claims’, it would not be popular for everyone.

“It is important to remember that the very people an employment tribunal is supposed to help are those that have just lost their job, so will be least able to issue a claim. The move is bound to deny access to justice for some people with meritorious claims,” said Jim Lister, Pannone’s head of employment.

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