Draft Order laid before Parliament under section 49(5) of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, for approval by resolution of each House of Parliament.
Draft Statutory Instruments
2013 No.
Tribunals And Inquiries
The Employment Tribunals and the Employment Appeal Tribunal Fees Order 2013
The Lord Chancellor makes the following Order with the consent of the Treasury in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 42(1)(d) and (2) and 49(3) of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007().
The Lord Chancellor has consulted the Senior President of Tribunals and the Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council in accordance with section 42(5) before making this Order.
In accordance with section 49(5), a draft of this Order was laid before and has been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.
PART 1General
Citation and commencement
1. This Order may be cited as the Employment Tribunals and the Employment Appeal Tribunal Fees Order 2013 and shall come into force on the day after the date on which it is made.
Interpretation
2. In this Order—
“the 2007 Act” means the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007;
“appellant” means a person who appeals to the Employment Appeal Tribunal against a decision of an employment tribunal;
“claim” means any proceedings brought before an employment tribunal and includes an appeal, application, complaint, reference or question, and “claimant” shall be construed accordingly;
“claim form” means the form by means of which a person presents a claim;
“employer’s contract claim” means a claim brought by an employer in accordance with articles 4 and 8 of the Employment Tribunals Extension of Jurisdiction (England and Wales) Order 1994() or articles 4 and 8 of the Employment Tribunals Extension of Jurisdiction (Scotland) Order 1994();
“fee group” means—
(a)
in relation to the payment of the issue fee, the group of persons named as claimants in the claim form at the time the claim was presented;
(b)
subject to article 12(2), in relation to the payment of a hearing fee, the group of persons each of whom—
(i)
were named as claimants in the claim form at the time the claim was presented; and
(ii)
are named as claimants in the notification of the listing of the final hearing.
“final hearing” means the first hearing at which an employment tribunal will determine liability, remedy or costs;
“notice of appeal” means the notice referred to in rule 3(1)(a) of the Employment Appeal Tribunal Rules 1993(); and
“single claimant” means a claimant who is the only claimant named in the claim form.
Matters in relation to which fees are payable
3. Fees are payable in respect of any claim presented to an employment tribunal, or an appeal to the Employment Appeal Tribunal, as provided for in this Order.
PART 2Fees in employment tribunals
Fee charging occasions
4.—(1) A fee is payable by a single claimant or a fee group—
(a)when a claim form is presented to an employment tribunal (“the issue fee”); and
(b)on a date specified in a notice accompanying the notification of the listing of a final hearing of the claim (“the hearing fee”).
(2) A fee is payable by the party making an application listed in column 1 of Schedule 1 on a date specified by the Lord Chancellor in a notice following the making of the application.
(3) A fee of £600 is payable by the respondent on a date specified in a notice accompanying a notification of listing for judicial mediation.
Fees payable
5. Table 1 in Schedule 2 has effect for the purpose of defining expressions used in Table 2 in that Schedule.
6. The issue fee and hearing fee payable by a single claimant in respect of a claim listed in Table 2 in Schedule 2 (“a type A claim”) is the amount specified in column 2 of Table 3 in Schedule 2.
7. The issue fee and hearing fee payable by a single claimant in respect of any claim other than one listed in Table 2 in Schedule 2 (“a type B claim”) is the amount specified in column 3 of Table 3 in Schedule 2.
8. Subject to articles 9 and 10, the issue fee and hearing fee payable by a fee group is the amount calculated by reference to Table 4 in Schedule 2.
9. Subject to article 10, where, on the date on which a fee is payable in accordance with article 4, the claim form contains—
(a)one or more type A claim and one or more type B claim, the total amount of the fees payable in respect of all the claims is the fee specified in respect of a type B claim; or
(b)more than one claim of the same type, then the total amount of the fees payable in respect of all the claims is the amount specified in Table 3 or, in the case of a fee group, Table 4 in Schedule 2 for that type of claim.
10. Any fee payable by a fee group under article 8 or 9—
(a)must not exceed an amount equal to the sum of the fees which the members of the fee group would have been liable to pay as single claimants; and
(b)where one or more members of the group is entitled to remission in accordance with Schedule 3, must not exceed an amount equal to the sum of the fees which the members of the fee group would be liable to pay as single claimants, taking into account any remission which would have been granted to individual members of the group if they were single claimants.
11.—(1) The fee payable in relation to an application listed in column 1 of Schedule 1, irrespective of the number of claims or of claimants named in the application is the amount specified in the relevant part of column 2 of Schedule 1.
(2) Where an application referred to in paragraph (1) is made in respect of one or more type A claims and one or more type B claims, the amount of the fee payable in respect of the application is the amount specified in column 2 of Schedule 1 in respect of a type B claim.
Fee group – failure to pay fee
12.—(1) Where a fee payable by a fee group remains unpaid after the date specified in accordance with article 4, a member of that fee group may, before the date on which the claim to which the fee relates is liable to be struck out for non payment, notify the Lord Chancellor of that member’s decision no longer to be part of the group.
(2) Where a notice is received by the Lord Chancellor before the date on which the claim is liable to be struck out, the member of the fee group who has given the notification shall be treated as a single claimant for the purposes of the claim to which the notice referred to in paragraph (1) relates.
PART 3Fees in the Employment Appeal Tribunal
Fees payable
13. A fee of £400 is payable by an appellant on the date specified in a notice issued by the Lord Chancellor, following the receipt by the Employment Appeal Tribunal of a notice of appeal.
14. A fee of £1200 is payable by an appellant on the date specified in a notice issued by the Lord Chancellor, following a direction by the Employment Appeal Tribunal that a matter proceed to an oral hearing at which the appeal is to be finally disposed of.
PART 4Transitional arrangements, remission etc
Transitional arrangements
15. No fee is payable in respect of a claim where the claim form was presented before the date this Order comes into force.
16. No fee is payable in respect of proceedings in the Employment Appeal Tribunal where a notice of appeal was received by that Tribunal before the date on which this Order comes into force.
Remission provisions
17.—(1) Schedule 3 applies for the purposes of determining whether a person is entitled to a remission or part remission of any fee otherwise payable under this Order.
(2) Where an application for remission is made by a member of a fee group, Schedule 3 is to have effect for the purposes of determining whether or not the member of the group would be entitled to remission (whether wholly or in part) if that person was a single claimant.
18. The Lord Chancellor may disregard an application for remission by a member of a fee group if the amount of the fee payable by the fee group would not be altered in consequence of the application being granted.
International obligations
19. Where by any Convention, treaty or other instrument entered into by Her Majesty with any foreign power it is provided that no fee is required to be paid in respect of any proceedings, the fees specified in this Order are not payable in respect of those proceedings.
Signed by authority of the Lord Chancellor
Name
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Ministry of Justice
Date
We consent,
Name
Name
Two of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury
Date
Articles 4 and 11
SCHEDULE 1Employment tribunals – other fees
Fee(s) payable by applicant
Column 1
| Column 2
|
---|
Type of application
| Type A claim
| Type B claim
|
---|
Reconsideration of a default judgment | £100 | £100 |
Reconsideration of a judgment following a final hearing | £100 | £350 |
Dismissal following withdrawal | £60 | £60 |
An employer’s contract claim made by way of application as part of the response to the employee’s contract claim | £160 | - |
Articles 4 to 9
SCHEDULE 2Employment tribunals – issue and hearing fee
Table 1 - abbreviations used in Table 2 in this Schedule
CAR | Civil Aviation (Working Time) Regulations 2004() |
CCBR | Companies (Cross-Border Mergers) Regulations 2007() |
CEC | Colleges of Education (Compensation) Regulations 1975() |
COMAH | Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999() |
EA 2006 | Equality Act 2006() |
EA 2010 | Equality Act 2010() |
EAA | Employment Agencies Act 1973() |
ECSR | European Cooperative Society (Involvement of Employees) Regulations 2006() |
EJOs | Employment Tribunals Extension of Jurisdiction (England and Wales) Order 1994(); and
Employment Tribunals Extension of Jurisdiction (Scotland) Order 1994()
|
EOR | Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) Regulations 2009() |
ELLR | European Public Limited-Liability Company (Employee Involvement) (Great Britain) Regulations 2009() |
ERA | Employment Rights Act 1996() |
ETA | Employment Tribunals Act 1996() |
FVR | Fishing Vessels (Working Time: Sea-fishermen) Regulations 2004() |
HSCE | Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996() |
HSWA | Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974() |
ICR | Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 2004() |
ITA | Industrial Training Act 1982() |
MSR | Merchant Shipping (Working Time: Inland Waterways) Regulations 2003() |
NMWA | National Minimum Wage Act 1998() |
OPR | Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Consultation by Employers and Miscellaneous Amendment) Regulations 2006() |
OPS(CO)R | Occupational Pension Schemes (Contracting-Out) Regulations 1996() |
OPS(DI)R | Occupational Pensions Schemes (Disclosure of Information) Regulations 1996() |
PSA | Pension Schemes Act 1993() |
REACHER | REACH Enforcement Regulations 2008() |
RTR | Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations 2005() |
SRSC | Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977() |
TULR(C)A | Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992() |
TUPE | Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006() |
WTR | Working Time Regulations 1998() |
Table 2
Type A claims
Column 1
Description of claim
| Column 2
Provision identifying the rights of the claimant
| Column 3
Provision conferring jurisdiction on tribunal
|
---|
Application by the Secretary of State to prohibit a person from running an Employment Agency | Sections 3A EAA() | Sections 3A EAA |
Application by a person subject to a prohibition order to vary or set it aside | Section 3C EAA | Section 3C EAA |
Appeal against improvement or prohibition notice | Section 24 HSWA() | Section 24 HSWA |
Appeal against assessment of training levy | Section 12 ITA() | Section 12 ITA |
Complaint of deduction of unauthorised subscriptions | Section 68 TULR(C)A() | Section 68A TULR(C)A() |
Complaint relating to failure to deduct or refuse to deduct an amount to a political fund | Section 86 TULR(C)A | Section 87 TULR(C)A() |
Complaint that an employer has failed to permit time off for carrying out trade union duties | Section 168 TULR(C)A() | Section 168 TULR(C)A |
Complaint that an employer has failed to permit time off for union learning representatives | Section 168A TULR(C)A() | Section 168A TULR(C)A |
Complaint that an employer has failed to pay for time off for union learning representatives | Section 169 TULR(C)A() | Section 169 TULR(C)A |
Complaint that an employer has failed to permit time off for trade union activities | Section 170 TULR(C)A() | Section 170 TULR(C)A |
Complaint that employer has failed, wholly or in part, to pay remuneration under a protective award | Section 190 TULR(C)A() | Section 192 TULR(C)A() |
Complaint that the Secretary of State has not paid, or has paid less than, the amount of relevant contributions which should have been paid into a pension scheme | Section 124 PSA() | Section 126 PSA |
Breach of contract, except where the employer’s contract claim is made made by way of application as part of the employer’s response to the employee’s contract claim (as to which, see instead article 4 and Schedule 1 to this Order) | | Section 3 ETA();
Articles 3 and 4 of each of the EJOs
|
Reference to determine what particulars ought to be included in a statement of employment particulars or changes to particulars | Sections 1 and 4 ERA | Section 11 ERA() |
Reference to determine what particulars ought to be included in an itemised pay statement | Section 8 ERA | Section 11 ERA |
Complaint of unauthorised deductions from wages | Section 13 ERA | Section 23 ERA() |
Complaint that employer has received unauthorised payments | Section 15 ERA | Section 23 ERA |
Complaint that employer has failed to pay guaranteed payment | Section 28 ERA | Section 34 ERA() |
Complaint that employer has failed to permit time off for public duties | Section 50 ERA() | Section 51 ERA() |
Complaint that employer has refused to permit, or has failed to pay for, time off to look for work or arrange training | Sections 52 and 53 ERA | Section 54 ERA() |
Complaint that employer has refused to allow, or has failed to pay for, time off for ante-natal care | Sections 55(), 56, 57ZA and 57ZB() ERA | Sections 57() and 57ZC ()ERA |
Complaint that employer has refused to allow time off for dependants | Section 57A ERA() | Section 57B ERA() |
Complaint that employer has failed to allow, or to pay for, time off for trustee of pension scheme | Sections 58() and 59 ERA | Section 60 ERA() |
Complaint that employer has failed to allow, or to pay for, time off for employee representative | Sections 61() and 62 ERA | Section 63 ERA() |
Complaint that employer has failed to allow, or to pay for, time off for young people in Wales and Scotland | Section 63A() and 63B() ERA | Section 63C ERA() |
Complaint that employer has failed to pay for time off on medical or maternity grounds | Sections 64(), 68() and 68C() ERA | Sections 70() and 70A() ERA |
Complaint that employer has failed to allow time of for studies or training or the refusal is based on incorrect facts | Section 63D to 63H ERA() | Section 63I ERA() |
Complaint that employer has unreasonably failed to provide a written statement of reasons for dismissal or the particulars are inadequate or untrue | Section 92 ERA() | Section 93 ERA() |
Reference in respect of a right to redundancy payment | Section 135 ERA | Sections 163() and 177() ERA |
Reference related to payment out of National Insurance Fund | Section 166 ERA() | Section 170 ERA |
References related to payments equivalent to redundancy payments | Sections 167, 168 and 177 ERA | Section 177 ERA |
Complaint that the Secretary of State has failed to make any, or insufficient, payment of out the National Insurance Fund | Section 182 ERA | Section 188 ERA() |
Appeal against a notice of underpayment | Section 19C NMWA() | Section 19C NMWA |
Appeal against a notice issued by the Commission for Equality and Human Rights where the notice relates to an unlawful act | Section 21 EA 2006() | Section 21 EA 2006 |
Complaint that prospective employer made enquiries about disability or health | Section 60 EA 2010 | Section 120 EA 2010 |
Application in relation to the effect of a non-discrimination rule in an occupational pension scheme | Section 61 EA 2010 | Section 120 EA 2010 |
Complaint in relation to a breach of a sex equality clause | Section 66 EA 2010 | Section 127 EA 2010 |
Complaint in relation to a breach of, or application in relation to the effect of, a sex equality rule in an occupational pension scheme | Section 67 EA 2010 | Section 127 EA 2010 |
Complaint in relation to a breach of a maternity equality clause | Section 73 EA 2010 | Section 127 EA 2010 |
Complaint in relation to a breach of, or application in relation to the effect of, a maternity equality rule in an occupational pension scheme | Section 75 EA 2010 | Section 127 EA 2010 |
Complaint in relation to terms prohibiting discussions about pay | Section 77 EA 2010 | Section 120 EA 2010 |
Complaint that a term in a collective agreement is void or unenforceable | Section 145 EA 2010 | Section 146 EA 2010 |
Appeal of decision of compensating authority | Regulation 42 CEC | Regulation 42 CEC |
Complaint that employer has failed to pay for remunerated time off for safety representative | Regulation 4(2) of, and Schedule 2 to, the SRSC | Regulation 11 SRSC |
Reference that there has been a failure to consult with employee representatives about contracting out of pension scheme | Regulation 4 OPS(CO)R and regulation 9 of OPS(DI)R | Regulation 4 OPS(CO)R and regulation 9 of OPS(DI)R |
Complaint that employer has failed to pay for time off to carry out Safety Representative duties or undertake training | Regulation 7 of, and Schedule 1 to, the HSCE | Schedule 2 to the HSCE |
Complaint that employer has refused to allow annual leave, compensation, payment, compensatory rest | Regulations 13, 13A,14, 16, 24, 24A, 27 and 27A WTR | Regulation 30 WTR |
Appeal against improvement or prohibition notice | Paragraph 6 of Schedule 3 to WTR | Paragraph 6 of Schedule 3 to WTR |
Appeal against improvement or prohibition notice | Regulation 18 COMAH | Regulation 18 COMAH |
Complaint in relation to refusal of annual leave or to make payment | Regulation 11 MSR | Regulation 18 MSR |
Complaint in relation to refusal to provide paid annual leave | Regulation 4 CAR | Regulation 18 CAR |
Complaint in relation to failure to provide free health assessments | Regulation 5 CAR | Regulation 18 CAR |
Complaint in relation to refusal of annual leave or to make payment | Regulation 11 FVR | Regulation 19 FVR |
Complaint that employer has refused to allow or failed to pay for time off for information and consultation or negotiating representatives | Regulations 27 and 28 ICR | Regulation 29 ICR |
Appeal against improvement notice | Paragraph 6(2) of Schedule 2 to the RTR | Paragraph 6(2) of Schedule 2 to the RTR |
Complaint in relation to failure of employer to inform or consult | Regulation 13 TUPE | Regulation 15 TUPE |
Complaint that employer has failed to allow, or pay for, time off for functions as employee representative | Paragraphs 2 and 3 of the Schedule to OPR | Paragraph 4 of the Schedule to OPR |
Complaint that employer has failed to allow, or pay for, time off for members of special negotiating body | Regulations 28 and 29 ECSR | Regulation 30 ECSR |
Complaint that employer has failed to allow, or pay for, time off for members of special negotiating body | Regulations 43 and 44 CCBR | Regulation 45 CCBR |
Appeal against notice from Health and Safety Executive or a local authority | Regulation 21 and Part 2 of Schedule 8 to REACHER | Regulation 21 and Part 2 of Schedule 8 to REACHER |
Reference to determine what particulars ought to be included in an itemised statement of stipend | Regulation 6 EOR | Regulation 9 EOR |
Reference to determine what particulars ought to be included in a statement of particulars or changes to particulars | Regulations 3 and 6 EOR | Regulation 9 EOR |
Complaint that employer has failed to allow, or pay for, time off for members of special negotiating body | Regulations 26 and 27 ELLR | Regulation 28 ELLR |
Table 3
Amount of fee - claim made by a single claimant
Column 1
Fee type
| Column 2
Type A claim
| Column 3
Type B claim
|
---|
1. Issue fee | £160 | £250 |
2. Hearing fee | £230 | £950 |
Table 4 Amount of fee – fee group
Part A - Type A claim
Column 1
Type of fee
| Column 2
Number of claimants/amount of fee
|
---|
| 2-10 | 11-200 | Over 200 |
Issue fee | £320 | £640 | £960 |
Hearing fee | £460 | £920 | £1380 |
Part B – type B claim
Column 1
Type of fee
| Column 2
Number of claimants/ amount of fee
|
---|
| 2-10 | 11-200 | Over 200 |
Issue fee | £500 | £1,000 | £1,500 |
Hearing fee | £1900 | £3,800 | £5,700 |
Article 17
SCHEDULE 3Remissions and Part Remissions
Interpretation
1.—(1) In this Schedule—
“child” means a child or young person in respect of whom a party is entitled to receive child benefit in accordance with section 141, and regulations made under section 142, of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992();
“child care costs” has the meaning given in Part 3 of the Criminal Legal Aid (Financial Resources) Regulations 2013();
“couple” has the meaning given in section 3(5A) of the Tax Credits Act 2002();
“disposable monthly income” has the meaning given in paragraph 5;
“excluded benefits” means—
(a)
any of the following benefits payable under the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992—
(i)
attendance allowance paid under section 64;
(ii)
severe disablement allowance;
(iv)
disability living allowance;
(v)
constant attendance allowance paid under section 104 as an increase to a disablement pension;
(vii)
any payment made out of the social fund;
(b)
any direct payment made under the Community Care, Services for Carers and Children’s Services (Direct Payments) (England) Regulations 2009(), the Community Care, Services for Carers and Children’s Services (Direct Payments) (Wales) Regulations 2011(), or section 12B(1) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968();
(c)
a back to work bonus payable under section 26 of the Jobseekers Act 1995();
(d)
any exceptionally severe disablement allowance paid under the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme 1983();
(e)
any pension paid under the Naval, Military and Air Forces etc. (Disablement and Death) Service Pension Order 2006();
(f)
any payment made from the Independent Living Funds; and
(g)
any financial support paid under an agreement for the care of a foster child;
“gross annual income” means total annual income, for the 12 months preceding the application for remission or part remission, from all sources other than receipt of any of the excluded benefits;
“gross monthly income” means total monthly income, for the month in which the application for remission or part remission is made, from all sources other than receipt of any of the excluded benefits;
“the Independent Living Funds” means any payment made from the funds listed at regulation 20(2)(b) of the Criminal Legal Aid (Financial Resources) Regulations 2013;
“partner” means a person with whom the party lives as a couple and includes a person with whom the party is not currently living but from whom the party is not living separate and apart;
“party” means the individual who would, but for this Schedule, be liable to pay the fee required under this Order.
(2) Paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 do not apply to a party for whom civil legal services, for which a certificate has been issued under the Civil Legal Aid (Procedure) Regulations 2012(), have been made available under arrangements made for the purposes of Part 1 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012() for the purposes of the proceedings.
Full remission of fees—qualifying benefits
2.—(1) No fee is payable under this Order if, at the time when a fee would otherwise be payable, the party is in receipt of a qualifying benefit.
(2) The following are qualifying benefits for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)—
(a)income support under the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992;
(b)working tax credit, provided that no child tax credit is being paid to the party;
(c)income-based jobseeker’s allowance under the Jobseekers Act 1995;
(d)guarantee credit under the State Pension Credit Act 2002(); and
(e)income-related employment and support allowance under the Welfare Reform Act 2007().
Full remission of fees—gross annual income
3.—(1) No fee is payable under this Order if, at the time when the fee would otherwise be payable, the party has the number of children specified in column 1 of the following table and—
(a)if the party is single, the gross annual income of the party does not exceed the amount set out in the appropriate row of column 2; or
(b)if the party is one of a couple, the gross annual income of the couple does not exceed the amount set out in the appropriate row of column 3.
Column 1
Number of children of party
| Column 2
Single
| Column 3
Couple
|
---|
no children | £13,000 | £18,000 |
1 child | £15,930 | £20,930 |
2 children | £18,860 | £23,860 |
3 children | £21,790 | £26,790 |
4 children | £24,720 | £29,720 |
(2) If the party has more than 4 children then the relevant amount of gross annual income is the amount specified in the table for 4 children plus the sum of £2,930 for each additional child.
Full and part remission of fees—disposable monthly income
4.—(1) No fee is payable under this Order if, at the time when the fee would otherwise be payable, the disposable monthly income of the party is £50 or less.
(2) The maximum amount of fee payable is—
(a)if the disposable monthly income of the party is more than £50 but does not exceed £210, an amount equal to one-quarter of every £10 of the party’s disposable monthly income up to a maximum of £50; and
(b)if the disposable monthly income is more than £210, an amount equal to £50 plus one-half of every £10 over £200 of the party’s disposable monthly income.
(3) Where the fee that would otherwise be payable under this Order is greater than the maximum fee which a party is required to pay as calculated in sub-paragraph (2), the fee will be remitted to the amount payable under that sub-paragraph.
Disposable monthly income
5.—(1) A party’s disposable monthly income is the gross monthly income of the party for the month in which the fee becomes payable (“the period”) less the deductions referred to in sub-paragraphs (2) and (3).
(2) There are to be deducted from the gross monthly income—
(a)income tax paid or payable in respect of the period;
(b)any contributions estimated to have been paid under Part 1 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 in respect of the period;
(c)either—
(i)monthly rent or monthly payment in respect of a mortgage debt or hereditable security, payable in respect of the only or main dwelling of the party, less any housing benefit paid under the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992; or
(ii)the monthly cost of the living accommodation of the party;
(d)any child care costs paid or payable in respect of the period;
(e)if the party is making bona fide payments for the maintenance of a child who is not a member of the household of the party, the amount of such payments paid or payable in respect of the period; and
(f)any amount paid or payable by the party, in respect of the period, in pursuance of a court order.
(3) There will be deducted from the gross monthly income an amount representing the cost of living expenses in respect of the period being—
(a)£315; plus
(b)£244 for each child of the party; plus
(c)£159, if the party has a partner.
Resources of partners
6.—(1) For the purpose of determining whether a party is entitled to the remission or part remission of a fee in accordance with this Schedule, the income of a partner, if any, is to be included as income of the party.
(2) The receipt by a partner of a qualifying benefit does not entitle a party to remission of a fee.
Application for remission or part remission of fees
7.—(1) A party is only relieved by paragraphs 2 to 4 of liability to pay a fee if that party makes an application for remission in accordance with this paragraph.
(2) An application for remission or part remission of a fee must be made to the Lord Chancellor at the time when the fee would otherwise be payable.
(3) Where a claim for full remission of fees is made, the party must provide documentary evidence of, as the case may be—
(a)entitlement to a qualifying benefit; or
(b)gross annual income and, if applicable, the children included for the purposes of paragraph 3.
(4) Where a claim for full or part remission of fees under paragraph 4 is made, the party must provide documentary evidence of—
(a)such of the party’s gross monthly income as is derived from—
(i)employment;
(ii)rental or other income received from persons living with the party by reason of their residence in the party’s home;
(iii)a pension; or
(iv)a state benefit, not being an excluded benefit; and
(b)any expenditure being deducted from the gross monthly income in accordance with paragraph 5(2).
Remission in exceptional circumstances
8. A fee specified in this Order may be reduced or remitted where the Lord Chancellor is satisfied there are exceptional circumstances which justify doing so.
Time for payment following remission application
9.—(1) Where a person applies for remission on or before the date on which a fee is payable, the date for payment of the fee specified in article 4 is disapplied.
(2) Where the Lord Chancellor refuses remission or grants part remission of a fee, the amount of the fee which remains unremitted must be paid within such period as may be notified in writing by the Lord Chancellor to the party or the fee group (as the case may be).
Refunds
10.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), where a party has not provided the documentary evidence required by paragraph 7 and a fee has been paid at a time when, under paragraph 2, 3 or 4, it was not payable, the fee must be refunded if documentary evidence relating to the time when the fee became payable is provided at a later date.
(2) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), where a fee has been paid at a time where the Lord Chancellor, if all the circumstances had been known, would have reduced or remitted the fee under paragraph 8, the fee or the amount by which the fee would have been reduced, as the case may be, must be refunded.
(3) No refund shall be made under this paragraph unless the party who paid the fee applies within 6 months of paying the fee.
(4) The Lord Chancellor may extend the period of 6 months mentioned in sub-paragraph (3) if the Lord Chancellor considers that there is a good reason for an application being made after the end of the period of 6 months.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This Order introduces fees for claims made to an employment tribunal and appeals to the Employment Appeal Tribunal.
Part 2 makes provision for fees to be payable when a claim is presented to an employment tribunal and following notification of listing for the final hearing. The amount of the fee depends upon the type of the claim and the number of claimants. Different fees apply to single claimants and to groups of claimants, called “fee groups”. “Type A claims” are listed in Table 2 of Schedule 2 to the Order. All other claims are called “Type B claims”, for the purposes of calculating the amount of the fee payable. The amount of the fees payable by single claimants are listed in Table 3 of Schedule 2 and the amount payable by fee groups of different sizes are listed in Table 4 of Schedule 2.
Fees are also payable in an employment tribunal by the party making an application of the type mentioned in Schedule 1 to this Order and a fee of £600 is payable by a respondent when the parties agree to judicial mediation.
In addition, article 12 allows a claimant in an employment tribunal to opt out of a fee group and continue as a single claimant if the fee group they were previously included in has failed to pay the appropriate fee and might be struck out for non-payment of that fee.
Part 3 deals with fees in the Employment Appeal Tribunal. A fee of £400 is payable by an appellant following receipt of a notice of appeal by the Employment Appeal Tribunal. A fee of £1200 is payable by an appellant following notification of a direction by the Employment Appeal Tribunal for an oral hearing to dispose finally of proceedings.
Part 4 makes transitional arrangements and provides for fee remission in some circumstances.