UK Employment Tribunal Data
Official tribunal statistics for England, Wales and Scotland. Updated annually from Ministry of Justice data. Use this to understand your exposure before a claim lands.
121,000
Claims filed in 2023/24
+13.1%
Year-on-year increase
£8,500
Average employer defence cost
67%
Claims settled before hearing
Key findings
Highest volume
Unfair dismissal
43,200 claims filed. Success rate: 32%
Highest average award
Whistleblowing (PIDA)
Average award: £38,500. No cap on compensation.
Rising trend
Claims up 13% year on year
From 107,000 in 2019/20 to 121,000 in 2023/24. ERA 2025 likely to accelerate this.
Claims by type
Number of claims filed in 2023/24, by jurisdiction
Claims over time
Total employment tribunal receipts, 2019/20 to 2023/24
Data by claim type
Claims filed, claimant success rate, and average award for 2023/24
| Claim type | Claims filed | Success rate | Average award | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unfair dismissal | 43,200 | 32% | £11,500 | dismissal |
| Unauthorised deductions from wages | 31,800 | 55% | £2,800 | pay |
| Sex discrimination | 8,200 | 9% | £18,400 | discrimination |
| Disability discrimination | 7,400 | 11% | £22,000 | discrimination |
| Working time directive | 7,100 | 41% | £1,800 | pay |
| Race discrimination | 5,900 | 8% | £19,600 | discrimination |
| Redundancy pay | 5,200 | 48% | £4,200 | pay |
| Breach of contract | 4,800 | 43% | £5,600 | pay |
| Age discrimination | 3,400 | 7% | £24,800 | discrimination |
| Whistleblowing (PIDA) | 2,800 | 5% | £38,500 | dismissal |
| Maternity / pregnancy | 2,100 | 14% | £14,200 | discrimination |
| Religion or belief | 1,200 | 6% | £17,200 | discrimination |
| Sexual orientation | 900 | 7% | £16,800 | discrimination |
Is your business protected?
The average tribunal defence costs £8,500 even when you win. An EmployerKit audit identifies the gaps in your employment contracts and policies before a claim is filed.
EmployerKit Audit from £49Methodology and sources
Data on this page is sourced from the Ministry of Justice Tribunals Statistics Quarterly publications and the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal annual reports. Claims figures refer to single jurisdiction claims. Success rate reflects the proportion of cases decided in favour of the claimant at hearing. Average awards reflect median amounts awarded for 2023/24. All figures are England, Wales and Scotland combined. Last updated: 2025-12-31. Note: some figures are based on interpolated estimates where official breakdowns are not available.
Sources: Ministry of Justice Tribunal Statistics | Employment Tribunal Service