Labour Research March 2013

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Law Queries

Tribunal fees

Q. We bring quite a lot of claims in the tribunal on behalf of our members. So we’ve read with concern about the forthcoming introduction of substantial fees that individuals will have to pay in order to be able to pursue tribunal claims. Obviously we’re going to try and lodge claims about any ongoing issues before the requirement to pay fees come into force. But when will fees be payable from?

A. The government was vague when it previously announced its intention to introduce a requirement to pay fees (now confirmed as between £160 and £250 to lodge a claim, plus between £230 and £950 for the hearing). It stated that it intended that fees would be payable as of summer 2013, and it also stated that fees would be due as of late 2013.

The latest is that the government has announced that people lodging tribunal claims will be able to pay the fees online.

In its Digital strategy paper (published in December 2012 and available at http://open.justice.gov.uk/digital-strategy/) the government reveals that the facility to pay tribunal fees online will be available from July 2013.

This is obviously likely to coincide with the requirement to pay.

Where it is not possible to lodge a claim before the introduction of fees, bear in mind that there will be remission of fees for those on low incomes.

Also, where your member wins s/he will ordinarily have the fees that s/he paid, reimbursed by the losing employer.


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