Updated Employment Tribunal limits & bands
For claims on or after 6 April 2023, the relevant bands and limits on awards the Employment Tribunal can make have been increased in line with inflation. We summarise the new bands and limits below.
'Vento' bands
So-called 'Vento' bands (named after the Court of Appeal case which defined them) are used by the Employment Tribunal to calculate compensation for injury to feelings following a successful discrimination claim.
The bands have been increased in line with inflation (RPI) and are now as set out on the right.
Link here to the relevant addendum.
- Lower band: £1,100 to £11,200 (for less serious cases e.g. the discrimination is a one-off occurrence).
- Middle band: £11,200 to £33,700 (for cases that do not merit an award in the upper band).
- Upper band: £33,700 to £56,200 (for the most serious cases).
- Exceptional cases may exceed £56,200.
A ‘week’s pay’ (for basic award and redundancy payments) (up from £571)
Basic award
An employment tribunal can award a so-called 'basic' award for a successful unfair dismissal claim, as well as in redundancy cases.
The basic award is calculated by reference to a week's pay.
Under the most recent order for 2023, the maximum week's pay has increased to £634.
Compensatory award
In addition to the basic award, the Employment Tribunal can, in addition, award a compensatory award (up to the statutory cap).
The cap is now the lower of 52 weeks’ pay or £105,707 (see section 124(1) and (1ZA) Employment Rights Act 1996, as increased by the latest order).
Compensatory award limit (up from £93,878)
In addition to Employment Tribunal limits and bands, as of 6 April 2023 various statutory benefit payments have been increased in line with inflation.
Relevant legislation: The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2023
Statutory maternity pay The weekly pay has increased from £156.66 to £172.48.
Statutory sick pay The weekly pay has increased from £99.35 to £109.40.
National Living Wage (23+) The hourly pay has increased from £9.50 to £10.42.
National Minimum Wage (21-22) The hourly pay has increased from £9.18 to £10.18.
