Damages for discrimination – new Vento bands with effect from 6 April 2025
Most people will know that damages for discrimination – injury to feelings awards – are decided by Employment Tribunals by reference to the Vento guidelines.
With effect from 6 April 2025 the Vento guidelines (or bands) have been revised upwards to reflect inflation. The rises this year are bigger than in previous years.
The new bands are:
- The lower band £1,200 to £12,100 (increasing from £1,200 to £11,700). This applies to less serious cases or where a single event of discrimination has taken place.
- The middle band of £12,100 to £36,400 (increasing from £11,700 to £35,200) for cases which do not merit an award in the upper band but do not fall in the lower band.
- The upper band of £36,400 to £60,700 (increasing from £35,200 to £58,700) for the most serious cases.
Amounts in excess of £60,700 can be awarded in the most exceptional cases but rarely are in practice.
For claims in Scotland, the bands remain subject to paragraph 12 of the Presidential Guidance as originally issued on 5 September 2017, which concerns whether the Simmons v Castle uplift should apply in Scotland.
The new bands will apply to Employment Tribunal claims presented on or after 6 April 2025.
