This article applies to England, Wales and Scotland.
Important: This guide provides information about UK employment law. It is not legal advice. Every situation is different. If you are dealing with a workplace dispute, consider speaking to a solicitor for advice specific to your circumstances.
In brief: Unauthorised deductions from wages is now the third most common tribunal complaint, with 2,908 filed in Q3 2025/26 (October to December 2025, provisional), up 77% year-on-year. Of disposed claims (Q2 data, most recent available), 25% settled through ACAS conciliation and 69% of cases that reached a hearing succeeded — among the highest hearing success rates of any claim type. The average case now takes 29 weeks to clear.
Last updated: March 2026
If your employer has not paid you what you are owed — whether unpaid wages, withheld holiday pay, missing overtime, or unexplained deductions from your payslip — you have a lot of company. Wages claims have risen 77% in the past year, and the data suggests they continue to resolve faster and more successfully than most other claim types.
The figures in this article come from the Ministry of Justice's Employment Tribunal Statistics (Reform system data), covering Q2 2024/25 through Q3 2025/26. Wages claims are formally classified as "unauthorised deductions from wages" under Part II of the Employment Rights Act 1996.
How many people are in your position?
Unauthorised deductions from wages is the third most common tribunal complaint after unfair dismissal and disability discrimination. In Q3 2025/26 (provisional), 2,908 complaints were filed.
| Quarter | Unauthorised deductions complaints | Share of all claims |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2024/25 (Jul–Sep 2024) | 1,606 | 28% |
| Q3 2024/25 (Oct–Dec 2024) | 1,645 | 25% |
| Q4 2024/25 (Jan–Mar 2025) | 2,008 | 27% |
| Q1 2025/26 (Apr–Jun 2025) | 2,315 | 26% |
| Q2 2025/26 (Jul–Sep 2025) | 2,460 | 27% |
| Q3 2025/26 (Oct–Dec 2025, p) | 2,908 | 28% |
That is a 77% increase compared to Q3 2024/25, when 1,645 complaints were filed. Growth has been consistent across all six quarters.
Wages claims cover a range of issues: unpaid salary, withheld bonuses, missing overtime, deductions without consent, unpaid holiday, and commission disputes. Many are filed alongside other complaints, particularly unfair dismissal or breach of contract, where a dismissal is followed by unpaid final salary or withheld notice pay.
How will your case most likely end?
Q3 2025/26 disposal breakdowns are not yet published for wages specifically. The most recent complete data is Q2 2025/26, when the tribunal disposed of 1,101 unauthorised deductions complaints:
| Outcome | Percentage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| ACAS conciliated settlement | 25% | Settled through ACAS before hearing |
| Withdrawn or dismissed | 33% | Claim withdrawn or dismissed by tribunal |
| Default judgment | 13% | Employer failed to respond, claimant won by default |
| Successful at hearing | 9% | Full hearing, claimant won |
| Unsuccessful at hearing | 4% | Full hearing, employer won |
| Struck out | 3% | Tribunal removed the claim |
| Other | 13% | Various procedural outcomes |
The correct hearing success rate is: successful divided by (successful + unsuccessful) = 9% ÷ (9% + 4%) = 69% of cases that reached a hearing. This is among the highest of any claim type, reflecting the factual clarity of most wages disputes.
The 13% default judgment rate is also significant — a meaningful number of employers simply do not respond to wages claims.
How long will it take?
Wages claims are among the faster claim types, though clearance times have risen:
| Percentile | Unauthorised deductions (Q3 2025/26) | All claims |
|---|---|---|
| 25th (fastest quarter) | 15 weeks | 16 weeks |
| Median (middle case) | 25 weeks | 28 weeks |
| 75th (slower cases) | 39 weeks | 44 weeks |
| Mean (average) | 29 weeks | 31 weeks |
The average wages case now takes 29 weeks, two weeks faster than the all-claims average of 31 weeks — but up from 26 weeks in Q2 2025/26, reflecting overall system pressure. Wages claims still resolve faster because they typically involve clearer factual questions: either the money was paid or it was not, and there is usually a paper trail.
The backlog: what is waiting ahead of you
The open caseload for unauthorised deductions stood at 6,504 as of Q2 2025/26, up 222% year-on-year. Q3 2025/26 individual claim-type caseload data is not yet published, but the total backlog has grown a further 22% in Q3 to 30,784. With wages receipts up 77% year-on-year, the wages backlog will have grown substantially further.
What this means for you
Your chances at a hearing are among the best. 69% of wages claims that reached a hearing in Q2 2025/26 succeeded. The factual, documentary nature of these disputes — did the employer pay or not? — makes them easier to prove than discrimination or unfair dismissal.
Many employers do not engage. The 13% default judgment rate is significant. Some employers, particularly smaller businesses facing clear-cut wages claims, do not respond to the tribunal process. If your employer fails to file a response within 28 days, you may win by default.
Settlement is realistic but less common. At 25%, the ACAS settlement rate for wages claims is lower than for discrimination claims. Employers sometimes calculate that it is simpler to pay up or contest outright, rather than negotiate.
Keep your evidence together. Wages claims turn on documentation — payslips, your contract, bank statements, records of hours worked, and any correspondence about the deduction. Compile this as early as possible.
Time limits are strict. You need to start ACAS early conciliation within three months minus one day of the unauthorised deduction. The backlog does not extend your deadline.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many unpaid wages claims are filed each quarter?
In Q3 2025/26, 2,908 unauthorised deductions complaints were filed (provisional), a 77% increase year-on-year. Wages claims account for around 28% of all tribunal claims.
What percentage of wages claims succeed?
In Q2 2025/26 (most recent full breakdown), 69% of cases that reached a hearing succeeded. A further 13% resulted in default judgment. In total, 25% settle through ACAS conciliation.
How long does an unpaid wages tribunal case take?
The mean is 29 weeks (Q3 2025/26, provisional), two weeks faster than the all-claims average. The fastest 25% clear within 15 weeks; 25% take 39 weeks or more.
What counts as an unauthorised deduction from wages?
Any reduction in your pay that your employer was not legally entitled to make — including unpaid wages, withheld holiday pay, missing overtime or commission, deductions without written consent, and underpayment below the agreed contractual rate. The rules are set out in Part II of the Employment Rights Act 1996.
What happens if my employer does not respond to my claim?
If your employer fails to file a response within 28 days, the tribunal may enter a default judgment in your favour. This happens in 13% of wages cases — one of the highest rates of any claim type.
Sources
- "Employment Tribunal Statistics, Tables ET_1_R, ET_2_R, ET_4_R, T_3", Ministry of Justice / HM Courts & Tribunals Service, Q3 2025/26 — GOV.UK Tribunals Statistics
- Employment Rights Act 1996, Part II (Protection of Wages) — Employment Rights Act 1996, Part II
- "Check if your employer can make deductions from your wages", ACAS — ACAS: Deductions From Wages
Related Guides
- Unpaid Wages Claim UK: How to Get What You're Owed
- What Will Happen in My Breach of Contract Case?
- What Will Happen in My Redundancy Pay Claim? High Win Rate at Hearing
- What Actually Happens to Employment Tribunal Claims? The Real Outcomes
- Employment Tribunal Backlog Passes 30,000: What This Means for Your Claim