The backlog of employment tribunal cases in the UK has increased significantly over the past year, with the number of outstanding claims rising by nearly a quarter. It is estimated that there was a backlog of almost 50,000 open cases at the end of Q4 2024.
Some of the delay is attributed to a shortage of judges, and whilst there have been concentrated efforts to recruit up to 36 salaried judges this past Spring, they are not expected to be appointed until March 2026.
In the meantime, the government is planning to double the time limit for bringing most Employment Tribunal claims from three months to six months. Although this may give parties more time to resolve a dispute before going to the Tribunal, the change is likely to result in a higher volume of claims being made. This, coupled with other anticipated reforms under the Employment Rights Bill, including making protection from unfair dismissal a day one right, is expected to cause further demand on an already strained system.
