Employment Tribunal cases in England and Wales reached a record high of 70,000 between April and June this year. This increase coincides with the implementation of new employment law reforms.
Data from the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) shows that Single Employment Tribunal Receipts, which are cases brought by individuals against employers, rose by almost 30% during those three months compared to the same period a year ago. Additionally, 'open caseload' cases, which are unresolved and active Tribunal cases, saw a 51% increase, as new cases continued to exceed resolutions over the past year.
Michelle Morgan, head of employment at Gardner Leader, stated that the figures indicate the government is not adequately resourcing an already overstretched system. Chloe Grant, a senior associate at Bellevue Law, noted that more individual claims are awaiting hearing than ever before, with over half a million claims now in the system. This situation is leading to longer waits, higher costs, and prolonged uncertainty for both employers and employees.
Concerns had previously been raised that new workers' rights under the Employment Rights Act would exacerbate existing backlogs. James Townsend, a partner at Payne Hicks Beach, added that employment litigation is increasing, and employers should be aware of further changes under the Employment Rights Act 2025 designed to strengthen workers' positions.