HM Courts and Tribunals Service has confirmed that from Monday 29 July 2013 bringing an employment tribunal (ET) claim will no longer be free of charge.
The fee structure for single claims to the ET will be as follows:
- For level 1 claims (e.g. claims for sums due on termination of employment, such as unpaid wages, payment in lieu of notice and redundancy payments) the issue fee will be £160 and the hearing fee, payable approximately six weeks in advance of the hearing, will be £230; and
- For level 2 claims (e.g. unfair dismissal, discrimination and claims arising under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998) the issue fee will be £250 and the hearing fee will be £950.
ETs will have a discretionary power to order the losing party to meet the fees paid by the winning party.
The fee for bringing an appeal to the Employment Appeal Tribunal will be £400 and the hearing fee will be £1,200.
Many people on low incomes will not be required to pay the full fees – under the same remission system that already exists for those who pay fees to use the civil courts’ service.