With more than 65,000 open cases and employment law reforms expected to increase claims, lawyers warn system is on ‘verge of collapse’
14 May 2026
Workers have been given employment tribunal hearing dates as late as 2030 because of a backlog of cases, according to analysis by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ).
Meeting minutes obtained by the TBIJ show tribunals will be funded to sit for 34,591 days this year. Although this is higher than the 33,787 tribunal days sat in 2024-25, it is 1,000 fewer than the original allocation set for that period.
The London South tribunal, based in Croydon, is facing some of the longest delays in the country, with one recently listed three-day case scheduled for January 2030.
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Employment tribunals were dealing with a backlog of 65,000 open cases at the end of last year, with pressure on the system expected to grow further as reforms under the Employment Rights Act come into force.
The changes could lead to 6,900 extra tribunal cases each year, government estimates suggest, as the qualifying period for unfair dismissal claims is set to fall from two years’ service to six months.
Fudia Smartt, employment partner at Spencer West, said the tribunal process was nearing the “verge of collapse”, with extended wait times creating uncertainty for employers...
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