New Vento bands for injury to feelings and psychiatric injury have been released by the Presidents of the Employment Tribunals of England & Wales and Scotland.
In Employment Tribunal claims for discrimination, if the claim succeeds the Employment Tribunal has the power to make an award of compensation for something called ‘injury to feelings’. Injury to feelings compensation is assessed in ‘bands’, using the guidelines that were established in a landmark case called ‘Vento’ (Vento v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police). The Vento bands will be increasing for cases brought on or after 6 April 2023.
2022 vs 2023
| 2022 | 2023 | |
| Lower band | £990 – £9900 | £1,100 to £11,200 |
| Middle band | £9900 – £29600 | £11,200 to £33,700 |
| Upper band | £29600 – £49300 | £33,700 to £56,200 |
What is an injury to feelings?
Under the Equality Act 2010, employees can be awarded compensation for ‘injury to feelings’ and awards are made at some level in virtually every successful discrimination claim.
Injury to feelings awards are intended to compensate for the negative impact of discrimination on an employee’s emotional wellbeing.
The amount awarded is designed to consider the degree of hurt, humiliation or distress an employee has suffered as a result of discriminatory conduct.
Rather than punish the employer, the compensation for injury to feelings is intended to reflect the injury to feelings that the employee has suffered.
For help and advice on matters relating to employment law, contact a member of the ViewHR team today.
