Unfair dismissal claims face five-year delay as tribunal backlog grows
Summary
In England and Wales, people claiming unfair dismissal at employment tribunals are waiting up to five years for their cases to be heard due to a large backlog. This long delay affects both workers and employers, with calls for urgent changes to speed up the process.Key Facts
- Employment tribunals in England and Wales have a backlog of nearly 72,000 cases.
- The backlog increased by about 26,000 cases in one year.
- Unfair dismissal claims can take up to five years before a court hearing happens.
- Catriona Ball's late husband's unfair dismissal case, filed in 2025, will not be heard until 2029.
- Lewis Ball died in 2024 after quitting his job due to stress; his widow is handling the legal case.
- Legal aid is almost unavailable for employment tribunal cases, causing financial strain.
- The Employment Lawyers' Association urges the government to take radical action to fix the delays.
- These delays prevent workers from getting justice promptly and companies from resolving disputes.
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