(qlmbusinessnews.com . Thu 2nd Oct, 2025) London, UK —
Nadine Fallone's Battle for Justice: A Deep Dive into the UK's Failing Tribunal Award System
Nadine Fallone, a former bar manager, was awarded nearly £65,000 by an employment tribunal for experiencing unfair treatment and dismissal after she exposed drug use among staff members. Yet, over a year on, she has not seen a penny of the award, despite having turned to a government scheme designed to ensure tribunal awards are paid.
Fallone's plight is far from unique, with a Reporters investigation finding that three-quarters of the 7,000 individuals who sought help from this scheme are still awaiting their awarded sums.
A spokesperson for the government acknowledged the issue, stating the scheme was established by prior administrations and emphasising that every worker deserves to be rightly compensated.
Speaking to the Reporters, Fallone recounted the ordeal of taking her employer, Peckham Levels Ltd, to tribunal as “probably the worst experience of my life.” Both parties made offers to settle out of court, but the dispute led to a full tribunal hearing. The judgment awarded Fallone £28,750 for detrimental treatment and £35,250 for unfair dismissal, alongside a compensatory sum of £915.
However, in a twist of fate, Peckham Levels Ltd went into administration shortly after the judgment, rendering Fallone's financial award irrecoverable. “I've lost my sense of joy,” she lamented, voicing how the judicial affirmation of her suffering was compounded by the inability to claim her due award.
Preston Benson, a former director of Peckham Levels, now involved with 12 other businesses, expressed regret over the distress caused to Fallone. He stated his legal incapacity to address the award post-administration.
The government's Employment Tribunal Penalty Enforcement and Naming Scheme, initiated in 2016, appears ineffective with data suggesting that of about 7,000 claimants to the scheme, over 5,000 have not been compensated. Despite issuing over 4,800 penalties amounting to £9m, only 109 were recorded as paid, and remarkably, not a single employer has been publicly named for non-compliance.
Rosie Davies, another tribunal claimant who fought for £6,000 in unpaid wages and breach of contract, finds herself in a similar bind, having not received “a penny” of her award 18 months later. Her case against Motorflix Ltd and its director, Christian Elvidge, illustrates the challenges faced by claimants in securing their tribunal awards, often complicated by the insolvency status of companies.
The Reporters's findings, in collaboration with The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, underscore the systemic issues within the tribunal system, which sees a significant number of cases either settled, withdrawn, or unresolved without reaching a hearing. With 491,000 claims open by March 2025, as per the Ministry of Justice, and criticism from Citizens Advice on the system's efficacy, calls for reform are growing louder.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) underscores the tribunals' toll not only on employees but businesses too, advocating for system overhauls amidst rising insolvencies post-pandemic. The FSB suggests a “central UK pot” to compensate tribunal award recipients when companies go insolvent, with the government acknowledging the need for improvement and stronger enforcement of unpaid awards in its “Plan for Change.”
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