This article applies to England and Wales.
Last updated: June 2026 | Source: MoJ Employment Tribunal Statistics, Q4 2025/26
In brief
UK employment tribunals received 11,857 single claims in Q4 2025/26 (January to March 2026, provisional), up about 58% year-on-year and the highest quarterly figure on record. The tribunal disposed of 5,450 — its highest ever, but still less than half of what arrived. The open caseload has reached 36,733, up about 136% in twelve months. Mean clearance time is now 36 weeks. The tribunal is still taking in more than twice what it can resolve each quarter.
If you are dealing with a workplace dispute and wondering how long it will take, the latest official data tells a stark story. Employment tribunal claims have now risen for nine consecutive quarters. This snapshot sets out what the data shows and what it means for workers considering a claim.
Claims hit a new record
The tribunal received 11,857 single claims between January and March 2026 — the highest quarterly total in the Reform single-case series, and the ninth quarter in a row in which receipts have risen. That is around 58% more than the same quarter a year earlier (7,520 in Q4 2024/25).
Single claim receipts by quarter. Q4 2025/26 highlighted (provisional). Source: MoJ ET_1_R.
More claims arrive than the tribunal can close
The tribunal disposed of 5,450 single claims in the quarter — its highest disposal figure too, but still far short of the 11,857 that arrived. In other words, for every claim it closed, roughly 2.2 more were lodged. Until disposals catch up with receipts, the gap feeds straight into the backlog.
Teal = new single claims. Red = claims resolved. The gap is the net quarterly backlog addition. Source: MoJ ET_1_R, ET_2_R.
The backlog is now over 36,000 cases
Open caseload reached 36,733 single claims at the end of March 2026 — up about 136% on a year earlier (15,567). The backlog grew by roughly 6,407 cases in this quarter alone. At the current disposal rate it would take around 6.7 quarters — close to 18 months — to clear, and that assumes no new claims arrive, which is not realistic.
Open single claims caseload at end of quarter. Source: MoJ ET_4_R.
What people are claiming for
Unfair dismissal remains the largest category (6,091 receipts), followed by disability discrimination, unauthorised deductions from wages and whistleblowing. The fastest-growing larger categories were whistleblowing (up about 112% year on year) and disability discrimination (up about 79%). Breach of contract was the notable exception, down around 12%. A few very small jurisdictions also fell, but on such low volumes that the year-on-year percentages should be read with caution.
Q4 2025/26 single claim receipts by jurisdiction. Amber = declining year-on-year. Hover for YoY %. Source: MoJ ET_1_R.
How long claims take
For single claims closed in January to March 2026, the mean time to clearance was 36 weeks. Equal pay claims took longest at 47 weeks; unauthorised deductions cleared fastest at 33 weeks. Discrimination claims generally sat above the all-claims average. Our companion guide on the backlog and waiting times goes into what drives these delays.
Mean weeks to clearance, Q4 2025/26. Red = above the all-claims mean of 36 weeks. Dashed line = all-claims mean. Source: MoJ T_3.
How claims end
Most claims never reach a final hearing. In Q4 2025/26, about three quarters were resolved another way: 28% through Acas conciliated settlement, 23% withdrawn, and 25% dismissed upon withdrawal. Only a small share reached a hearing. Of the cases that did, around 44% succeeded — that is success measured against cases that reached a hearing (4% of all disposals were successful at hearing against 5% unsuccessful), not against every claim. If you are weighing up early settlement, our guide to Acas early conciliation explains how that route works.
Disposal outcomes as a share of all disposals, Q4 2025/26 (ET_3_R). Bars scaled to the largest share.
What this means in practice
The data shows a system under sustained pressure: record claim volumes, a backlog growing faster than the tribunal can clear it, and waits now averaging well over half a year. For anyone considering a claim, this suggests that timelines are long and that the large majority of cases settle or are withdrawn before a hearing. Strict time limits still apply regardless of how busy the tribunal is — see our guide to workplace deadlines and time limits — and the rules themselves continue to evolve, including under the Employment Rights Act 2025.
Frequently asked questions
How many employment tribunal claims were made in Q4 2025/26?
The tribunal received 11,857 single claims between January and March 2026 (provisional). That is the highest quarterly total in the Reform single-case series and around 58% higher than the same quarter a year earlier.
Is the employment tribunal backlog getting worse?
The data suggests it is. Open caseload reached 36,733 single claims at the end of March 2026, up about 136% year on year. The tribunal received 11,857 claims but disposed of only 5,450 in the quarter, so the backlog grew by roughly 6,400 cases.
How long do employment tribunal claims take?
For single claims closed in January to March 2026, the mean time to clearance was 36 weeks. It varied by claim type, from around 33 weeks for unauthorised deductions to 47 weeks for equal pay claims.
What are the chances of winning at a tribunal hearing?
Most claims never reach a hearing. Of the cases that did reach a final hearing in Q4 2025/26, about 44% succeeded (4% of all disposals were successful at hearing against 5% unsuccessful). Around three quarters of all claims ended earlier through Acas settlement, withdrawal, or dismissal upon withdrawal.
What is the most common type of tribunal claim?
Unfair dismissal was the largest single jurisdiction with 6,091 receipts, followed by disability discrimination, unauthorised deductions from wages, and whistleblowing.
Are these figures final?
No. The Q4 2025/26 figures are provisional and may be revised. They cover single claims on the Reform case management system only and are not comparable to Legacy ECM data.
Where does this data come from?
All figures are from the Ministry of Justice, Tribunals Statistics Quarterly, January to March 2026 release, using tables ET_1_R, ET_2_R, ET_3_R, ET_4_R and T_3.
Important notice: This article is published by Yerty for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Yerty is not a law firm. Nothing in this article creates a solicitor-client relationship or should be relied upon as a substitute for professional legal advice tailored to your specific circumstances.
Figures cover single claims on the Reform case management system in England and Wales only and are provisional — they may be revised in subsequent releases. Reform data is not comparable to pre-Reform Legacy ECM statistics. If you are considering a claim or have received a settlement offer, seek independent legal advice before taking action.
Sources
- Ministry of Justice, Tribunals Statistics Quarterly, January to March 2026 release (provisional) — tables ET_1_R, ET_2_R, ET_3_R, ET_4_R, T_3 — gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics
- ACAS, Early conciliation — acas.org.uk/early-conciliation