Lammy rules out charging workers for tribunal claims

David Lammy has ruled out introducing a charge for workers bringing employment tribunal claims after a union backlash over the proposed move.

The Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister said “everyone, no matter their income” should be able to challenge “unfair behaviour”.

It comes after TUC general secretary Paul Nowak warned that forcing claimants to pay would be a “gift for bad bosses” after it emerged the Government was considering plans to introduce a tribunal fee.

Proposals were put forward as part of efforts to find savings in the Ministry of Justice budget, in a bid to recover some of the costs of running the service, The Guardian reported last week.

But Mr Nowak said fees would cost “more to set up than they generated” and would price low-paid workers out of accessing justice.

In a statement on Wednesday, Mr Lammy confirmed it would “remain free to bring a case to an employment tribunal”.

“Everyone, no matter their income, should be able to get access to justice to challenge unfair behaviour at work,” he said.

“This is fundamental to Labour’s plan to make work pay.”

Tribunal claims were free until Lord David Cameron’s coalition government introduced charges of up to £1,200 in some cases in 2013 as part of efforts to cut costs.

The fees were then scrapped in 2017 after the Supreme Court ruled they were unlawful.

The Justice Secretary’s statement was welcomed by trade unions, with Mr Nowak describing it as an “important commitment”.

Ross Holden, GMB’s head of research and policy, said: “Forcing workers to do so would give bad bosses carte blanche to fly in the face of what’s right.

“It’s a relief to hear the Secretary of State promise this won’t happen on his watch.”