Record work-related stress payment

The NUT teachers' union has secured a £300,000 payout for a teacher who suffered a nervous breakdown as a result of work-related stress, in the largest ever payout for a stress-induced illness.

The payment was made by Shropshire County Council after the teacher suffered a breakdown triggered by a bullying headteacher who shouted at him, criticised him to pupils and allowed discipline in the school to collapse. The teacher took early retirement and believes he will never work again.

The case mirrors that of social worker John Walker, a member of public services union UNISON, who received £175,000 from Northumberland County Council in 1996 after suffering two nervous breakdowns as the result of increasing workloads. In that case it was found that the council should have foreseen the second breakdown because it was aware of the problem but still failed to act.

In the NUT case, the council had also been made aware of the problem and the union claimed it had ignored the teacher's pleas for help. Although the teacher's identity has not been revealed, he wanted details of the case to be released to make clear the duty of employers to ensure a working environment free of unnecessary stress.

The NUT is currently dealing with around 150 legal cases involving claims of stress-related illness.