The number of employment tribunal (ET) claims has more than doubled – up 165 per cent – to 10,996 in the current quarter and can be largely attributed to the abolition of ET fees in July 2017.
The latest figures from the Ministry of Justice highlight the rapid growth of ET claims over the past 12 months. During the period when fees were in place – July 2013 to July 2017 – ET receipts remained relatively stable at around 4,300 a quarter. However, this figure has been consistently increasing since last July.
An even greater hike has been seen among multiple ET claims, where the number has increased by 344 per cent on the same period last year. However, these figures can be distorted in cases where thousands of employees bring a case against one large employer. In the last quarter, 716 multiple cases (with an average of 60 claims per case) were lodged, up from 317 cases (with an average of 30 claims per case) in the same period a year ago.
Despite these huge rises, ET claims have still not reached the peaks seen before the fee system was implemented. However, it is anticipated that the number of cases being brought will continue to increase.
