Filing a claim is free. The real cost is representation. Solicitors charge thousands. ProHearings provides defined fixed-fee case review, document preparation and hearing support, so the agreed scope and price are clear before work starts.
Since the Supreme Court ruling in R (UNISON) v Lord Chancellor [2017] UKSC 51, there are no fees to issue an employment tribunal claim. Filing your ET1 is free, preliminary hearings are free, and the final hearing is free. The only direct costs of pursuing a tribunal claim are your own representation, travel and any time off work to attend hearings.
The biggest variable in employment tribunal costs is how you choose to be represented. Here is what each option typically costs for a straightforward unfair dismissal claim going to a one-day final hearing:
| Representation option | Typical cost range | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Represent yourself | £0 | You prepare everything and present your own case at the hearing |
| ProHearings fixed-fee support | £149 review; £199 ET1 preparation; hearing support from £699 | Defined case review, document preparation or hearing-support scope |
| Direct access barrister | £1,500 to £5,000 | Hearing advocacy, possibly limited case preparation |
| High-street solicitor | £5,000 to £15,000 | Full case handling from ET1 to hearing, billed hourly |
| City or specialist solicitor | £10,000 to £25,000+ | Full case handling, senior fee earner, billed hourly plus VAT |
| No-win no-fee solicitor | 25% to 35% of award | No upfront cost, but significant deduction from any award or settlement |
Beyond representation, you may face some additional costs. Travel to the tribunal can vary from a few pounds for a local hearing to over £100 if the venue is further away. If you are still employed, you will need to take time off for the hearing. If you need medical evidence (for injury to feelings or personal injury claims), a GP letter typically costs £30 to £60 and a specialist report £300 to £1,000. Printing and copying bundles usually costs under £50.
Employment tribunals are generally a no-costs jurisdiction. This means each side pays their own costs regardless of outcome. You will not normally be ordered to pay the other side's solicitor bills if you lose your case.
Costs orders are rare and only made in limited circumstances: where the claim or response had no reasonable prospect of success, where a party acted vexatiously, abusively, disruptively or unreasonably, or where a hearing was postponed or adjourned because of one party's conduct. A costs order can also be made where a party failed to comply with a tribunal order or where written reasons are requested and the claim had no reasonable prospect of success.
The no-costs rule is one of the reasons tribunals remain accessible. It removes the financial risk that makes county court and High Court litigation so expensive.
Legal aid is not generally available for employment tribunal claims. Most employment cases were removed from the scope of legal aid under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO). Limited exceptions exist for discrimination claims involving the Equality Act 2010 where there is a wider public interest, but in practice very few employment cases qualify.
Some free or low-cost options exist. Citizens Advice and some law centres offer free employment advice, though they rarely represent clients at hearings. Trade unions provide representation to members. ProHearings offers fixed-fee document preparation and hearing support within a defined scope.
With solicitors who bill hourly, the total cost of your case is unpredictable. Extra correspondence, additional witness statements, a longer hearing, or a case management hearing you did not expect can push the bill up rapidly. Some claimants abandon valid cases when legal bills outstrip the likely award.
ProHearings charges fixed fees for every service. Your case review has a fixed fee. Your hearing representation has a fixed fee. If the case settles before the hearing day, the hearing fee does not apply. You always know the total cost before you commit.
Filing a claim is free. The cost depends on representation: £0 if you represent yourself, £149 for a ProHearings written review, £199 for ET1 preparation or hearing support quoted from £699, or £5,000 to £25,000+ for a solicitor. Other costs include travel, time off work and any expert evidence.
No. Tribunal fees were ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court in 2017 and have not been reintroduced. It costs nothing to file an ET1 claim form, and there are no hearing fees.
Some solicitors offer conditional fee arrangements (no-win no-fee), but they typically take 25% to 35% of your award or settlement. On a £15,000 settlement, that could be £3,750 to £5,250. A fixed-fee lay representative can be significantly cheaper, especially for straightforward claims.
For employees, representation costs for an employment tribunal are not generally tax deductible. For employers defending a claim, legal and representation costs are usually a deductible business expense.
If a settlement is agreed before the hearing, you save the hearing day costs. With ProHearings, if your case settles before the hearing, the hearing representation fee does not apply. With solicitors on hourly billing, you still pay for all the work done to that point.