Committee publication · Engagement document · 14 April 2026
Access to Justice engagement event, Monday 9 March 2026: Summary Note - Employment Rights
From: Justice Committee
Inquiry: Access to Justice
Summary
This is a summary note from a Justice Committee engagement event held on 9 March 2026 examining employment rights and access to justice. Participants—practitioners and people with lived experience—identified critical barriers: insufficient specialist advice, lengthy waits for tribunal hearings (some listed to 2029), poor support for litigants in person, inconsistent reasonable adjustments, and understaffed tribunal administration. The group called for early community-based advice, fast-track procedures for statutory claims, stronger enforcement of awards, and sustainable funding for legal services.
Key findings
- Only around 3 of 28 London Citizens Advice offices have specialist employment rights advisers; demand includes complex multi-issue cases from litigants in person years after disputes began.
- Free Representation Unit can handle only ~400 cases per year across London and South East; representation typically begins only once a hearing is listed with coverage limited to days around the hearing.
- Multi-day tribunal hearings are listed several years ahead (some to 2029); regional offices receive weeks of missed calls; applications take ~6 months for responses; sitting days for 2025–26 match 2024–25 levels despite rising complexity.
- Litigants in person face steep hurdles with 'list of agreed issues' and preliminary hearings; communication gaps persist (e.g., two-week wait for phone contact); reasonable adjustments applied inconsistently.
- ACAS perceived as KPI-driven toward settlement at undervalued figures; one example contrasted initial £10k offer with £65k settlement achieved later with improved case preparation.
Tone
CriticalTopics
Key actors
Justice Committee, Citizens Advice, ACAS, Free Representation Unit (FRU), Law centres, Employment Tribunal (London South and regional offices), Trade unions, Employment Rights Act (forthcoming)
Notable line
“… multi ‑ day hearings are listed several years ahead, as late as”
Key Quotes
“Initial pathways are predominantly signposting rather than hands ‑ on help. Individuals are directed by Citizens Advice and others to ACAS, the Free Representation Unit (FRU) and law centres, but these services often require comprehensive court papers before engaging.”
“… representation typically begins only once a hearing is listed. Coverage is time ‑ limited (often a few days around a hearing) and capacity is constrained, it can only handle around 400 cases per year across London and the South East.”
“One example contrasted an initial "under £10k" suggestion with a final settlement of around £65k achieved later with improved case preparation.”
“Some multi ‑ day hearings are listed several years ahead, as late as”
“… the number of sitting days made available for 2025 – 26 mirrors 2024 – 25 levels, despite rising complexity.”
“Reasonable adjustments are inconsistently applied. Standard directions are issued without bespoke adaptations for neurodivergent or disabled claimants.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗