Employer Tribunal Costs
Defending claims for unfair or constructive dismissal
At Tayntons we are aware of how employee situations can affect a business. If you are facing an Employment Tribunal claim then you should seek legal advice. We make it our job to relieve the stress and pressure you are currently facing.
Fixed fee consultation
We offer an initial consultation of up to 45 minutes for £150 +VAT (£180 including VAT) . During this meeting, our team will take details of your potential claim and advise on whether it is a claim we would take on.
Our fees
Our fees are based upon the time we spend carrying out all the work that is required to defend a claim from an employee or reach a resolution prior to a claim being lodged. The time spent will include all the meetings we have with you and others as well as time spent draft letters and documents, attending hearings, telephone calls and travelling. VAT will be payable on our fees and some disbursements, currently 20%, and we will clearly confirm which disbursements carry VAT in our formal quotation or as we advise you to incur them.
We charge according to our hourly rate of £250 per hour + VAT (£300 per hour including VAT) and estimate that it will take in the region of 30 – 50 hours work from responding to a claim to a full hearing.
We can handle the full process for you. Our estimated costs for each stage of defending a Tribunal claim are set out in the table below:
| Stage of Process | Time Estimate to complete work | Costs Estimate | Costs Estimate (including VAT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Conciliation Process | Up to 2 hours | £500 + VAT | £600 |
| Receipt of Grounds of Complaint- initial review of the claim | Up to 2 hours | £500+ VAT | £600 |
| Drafting Grounds of Response, detailing your case and the nature of the dispute and responding to claim and submitting with the Employment Tribunal | Between 4 and 6 hours (provided client provides a chronology and all documents required) | £1,000 – £1,500 +VAT | £1,200 – £1,800 |
| Reviewing documents and providing merits of the claim | Between 3 and 5 hours(based on a maximum of 1 lever arch of files) | £750 -£1,250 +VAT | £900 – £1,500 |
| Reviewing schedule of loss | 0.5 hours | £125 + VAT | £150 |
| Preparing a counter schedule of loss | 2.5 hours | £625 +VAT | £750 |
| Preparing disclosure | 3 hours | £750+ VAT | £900 |
| Review of Claimant’s disclosure and updating merits if required | Up to 4 hours | £1,000 +VAT | £1,200 |
| Preparing a joint bundle of documents | Up to 3 hours | £750 +VAT | £900 |
| Liaising with other side and Employment Tribunal including any relevant applications to Employment Tribunal | Up to 4 hour | £1,000 +VAT | £1,200 |
| Drafting Witness Statement, including meeting with client | Up to 10 hours | £2,500 + VAT | £3,000 |
| Instructing Counsel | Up to 2 hours | £500 + VAT | £600 |
| Settlement Discussions (if appropriate) | Up to 3 hours | £750 +VAT | £900 |
| Total: | £10,750 – £11,750 + VAT | £12,900 – £14,100 |
The stages set out above are an indication and if some of the 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.
How long will the claim take?
The time that it takes from your initial instructions to the final resolution of the matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved. If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, the case is likely to take 3-6 weeks. If the claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, the case is likely to take between 6-12 months from when the claim becomes defended. This is just an estimate and we will, of course, be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as a matter progresses.
If the matter does not go to Final Hearing, your costs will reflect what stage your matter reaches and you will only pay for the work carried out.
Factors that could make the case more complex include:-
- If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or provide further information about an existing claim
- Defending claims against litigants in person
- Making or defending a costs application
- Complex preliminary issues
- The number of witnesses and documents
- If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim e.g. if the employee was dismissed after blowing the whistle on the employer
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
Counsel’s fees are estimated at between £750 to £1,000 per day plus VAT (£900 to £1,200 per day including VAT), depending on the experience of Counsel for attending a Tribunal Hearing and including preparation. There may be other funding options available, such as cover under an insurance policy and this will be discussed in the first initial meeting.
There will be an additional charge for attending a Tribunal Hearing of £500 per day plus VAT (£600 per day including VAT). Generally, we would allow 1-2 days depending on the complexity of your case.
Why choose Tayntons?
Tayntons’ employment lawyers offer practical, empathetic support for all aspects of the Tribunal process in Gloucester and throughout Gloucestershire, including Cheltenham and the Forest of Dean and further afield.
Our Alex Lyttle, is an experienced solicitor with over 15 years’ experience specialising in employment law, will look after the claim for you. Alex builds long-lasting relationships with his clients, putting them at ease despite the seriousness of the situations at hand. He is supervised by Joanne Thompson (Partner), Head of Litigation.
Tayntons has achieved Lexcel accreditation from the Law Society, recognising the strength of our practice management and client care. We are independently regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) providing assurance that we continually meet the highest legal and professional standards.
Get in touch with our employment team in Gloucester
Need help with any bringing or defending a claim in an Employment Tribunal in Gloucester, Cheltenham, the Forest of Dean or anywhere in Gloucestershire? Please contact us today by calling 0800 158 4147, emailing us at info@tayntons.co.uk or requesting a call back.