Employment Tribunal Compensation Estimator

Tribunal compensation typically has two parts: a basic award (calculated like statutory redundancy pay using age, service length and weekly pay) and a compensatory award (covering financial losses such as lost earnings, loss of statutory rights and expenses). Discrimination claims may also include injury to feelings awards under the Vento bands.

The basic award uses the statutory redundancy formula: 0.5 weeks' pay per year of service under age 22, 1 week per year aged 22-40, and 1.5 weeks per year aged 41 and over. Weekly pay is capped at £751 (from 6 April 2026) and the maximum service counted is 20 years. This gives a maximum basic award of £22,530.

For dismissals on or after 6 April 2026, the compensatory award for unfair dismissal is capped at the lower of £123,543 or 52 weeks' actual gross pay, so a lower earner is limited by the 52-week figure rather than the statutory maximum. This cap does not apply to discrimination claims, whistleblowing detriment and automatically unfair whistleblowing dismissals, or health and safety dismissals. In those cases, compensation is uncapped.

For claims presented on or after 6 April 2026 the Vento bands are: lower band £1,300 – £12,600 (less serious cases, such as an isolated or one-off incident), middle band £12,600 – £37,700 (serious cases that do not merit an award in the upper band), and upper band £37,700 – £62,900 (the most serious cases, such as a lengthy campaign of harassment). Exceptional cases can exceed £62,900. Injury to feelings awards only arise in discrimination and detriment claims, not ordinary unfair dismissal.

Yes. Since 2014, early conciliation through ACAS is mandatory before lodging most employment tribunal claims. You must contact ACAS first, and they will attempt to resolve the dispute. The conciliation period is usually one month, extendable to six weeks. You receive a certificate to proceed if no settlement is reached.

Most employment tribunal claims must be brought within three months less one day of the act complained of (e.g. the dismissal date). The clock stops during ACAS early conciliation. Discrimination claims have the same time limit but tribunals have more discretion to extend it if it is just and equitable to do so.

Constructive dismissal occurs when an employee resigns in response to a fundamental breach of contract by the employer. Common examples include significant pay cuts without agreement, bullying, removing responsibilities, or failing to address grievances. The employee must show they resigned because of the breach, not for other reasons.

Tribunals expect claimants to take reasonable steps to mitigate their losses — typically by actively seeking new employment. If the tribunal finds you did not mitigate adequately, it can reduce your compensatory award. Keeping evidence of job applications, interviews and recruitment agency registrations is essential.

Yes, many claimants represent themselves at tribunal. The process is designed to be accessible. However, complex cases (especially discrimination) benefit from legal representation. Some solicitors offer no-win-no-fee arrangements for strong cases. Free advice is available from Citizens Advice and ACAS.

There are currently no fees to lodge an employment tribunal claim in the UK (fees were abolished in 2017). However, you may incur legal costs if you use a solicitor or barrister. Tribunals rarely order costs against the losing party unless a claim was vexatious or unreasonable, so the financial risk of bringing a genuine claim is relatively low.