Employment tribunal changes a prelude of what’s to come over legal aid

Changes to the legal system come into force today, with workers being charged for bringing cases against their bosses to employment tribunals. Employees will pay £150-£260 initially, and then there will be a further charge of between £230 and £950 for the hearing. You can read all of the guidance here.

The politics of this are relatively clear: business groups, especially those representing small businesses, welcome the effort to tackle ‘vexatious claims’, which impede their operation and confidence. Trade unions say that there are no reliable figures on the number of vexatious claims; and they point out that the number of cases being brought is declining. The government talks of the need to protect business and the public purse. Legal groups counter with warnings (among many other things) about litigants in person clogging up the system.