Employment Tribunal Price Transparency
Employment tribunal claims for unfair and wrongful dismissal
We are committed to providing clear and transparent pricing information for all our services. The information below outlines our costs for representing employees and employers in claims for unfair dismissal or wrongful dismissal before the Employment Tribunal.
Our Fees
Our fees to represent you to bring a claim for unfair or wrongful dismissal at the Employment Tribunal depends on the complexity of the matter:
Simple Case (£2,500 – £5,000 excluding VAT charged at 20%)
These are straightforward matters with minimal factual or legal issues. They usually involve:
A single claimant and employer.
No dispute over basic facts.
No complex legal issues (e.g. pure unfair dismissal without discrimination or whistleblowing).
Few or no witnesses.
Early settlement is likely or possible through ACAS.
No preliminary hearings.
Medium Complexity (£5,000 – £10,000 excluding VAT charged at 20%)
These cases may involve more preparation or contested facts. They often include:
Some factual disputes between parties.
2–4 witnesses.
A preliminary hearing may be required.
Moderate volume of documents.
Claims may involve some additional complexity (e.g. automatic unfair dismissal, or constructive dismissal).
Settlement may be more difficult or take longer.
High Complexity (£10,000 – £20,000+ excluding VAT charged at 20%)
These are complex or heavily contested matters, and typically include:
Multiple legal issues or additional claims (e.g. discrimination, whistleblowing).
A large number of documents and witnesses.
Multiple claimants or respondents.
Lengthy hearings (3+ days).
Interim applications or appeals.
High reputational or financial risk for either party.
There will be an additional charge for attending a Tribunal Hearing on a time spent basis at the relevant fee earners hourly rate plus VAT.
We charge our fees based on an hourly rate which varies depending on the member of staff dealing with your matter. Our lowest hourly rate is £200 plus VAT and our highest hour rate is £475 plus VAT. The seniority of the members of staff dealing with your case will depend on its complexity. We will discuss this with you when you instruct us.
We will always provide a tailored quote at the outset based on your individual case and keep you updated if that changes.
Factors that could make a case more complex:
If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide further information about an existing claim.
Defending claims that are brought by litigants in person.
Making or defending a costs application.
Complex preliminary issues such as whether the claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties).
The number of witnesses and documents.
If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim, e.g. if you are dismissed after blowing the whistle on your employer.
Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal.
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as:
Court Fees where applicable.
Counsel’s fees (barrister): typically, £750 – £2,500 per day (excluding VAT charged at 20%) depending on the experience of the advocate for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation).
Medical or expert reports, if required.
We handle the payment of disbursements on your behalf.
What’s Included in Our Service
The fees set out above cover all of the work in relation to the following key stages of a claim:
Taking your initial instructions, reviewing documentation and carrying out a case assessment.
Advising you on the merits of your claim(s) and likely compensation or where there is no claim, informing you of this. The merits of your claim(s) and likely compensation shall be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change.
Entering into pre-claim conciliation where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached (including ACAS conciliation).
Drafting your claim outlining the nature of the dispute or drafting your response to the claim made against you.
Reviewing and advising on the claim or response from the other party.
Exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process.
Preparing or considering a schedule of loss.
Preparing for (and attending) a Preliminary Hearing.
Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents.
Taking witness statements, drafting witness statements and agreeing their content with witnesses.
Preparing a bundle of documents.
Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements.
Agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or a cast list.
Preparing for and attending a Final Tribunal Hearing, including instructions to Counsel (excluding Counsel fees).
The stages set out above are an indication and if some of stages above are not required, the fee will be reduced. You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can also be arranged on your individual needs.
What’s Not Included
Our fee does not include:
Appeals to the Employment Appeal Tribunal.
Claims involving complex legal issues beyond unfair/wrongful dismissal.
Additional work arising from unexpected developments.
We will agree any additional work or charges with you in advance.
How Long Will My Case Take?
The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved.
Settlement during ACAS conciliation: 2–6 weeks.
Full tribunal hearing: 6–12 months (depending on the tribunal’s schedule).
This is just an estimate, and we will of course be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information, once we have dates from the Employment Tribunal and as the matter progresses.
Who Will Handle Your Case?
Your matter may be handled by Cacy Symonds, Head of Employment and Immigration or Sara Maghouz, Employment and Immigration Solicitor who shall be supervised by Cacy Symonds. You shall be provided with direct contact details for the person dealing with your case.