Unfair Dismissal Compensation Calculator UK 2025 — Estimate Your Tribunal Award
If you have been dismissed from your job and believe it was unfair, you may be able to claim compensation at an Employment Tribunal. Our free calculator estimates both the basic and compensatory awards based on your age, service, and weekly pay — and explains the full claims process.
Basic award is capped at £19,290 and weekly pay at £643 (2024/25). Compensatory award capped at £115,115 or 52 weeks actual pay, whichever is lower. Tribunal may adjust for contributory fault or failure to mitigate. Always contact ACAS before submitting a claim.
What Is Unfair Dismissal?
Unfair dismissal is where your employer dismisses you but either lacks a fair reason or fails to follow a fair procedure. The Employment Rights Act 1996 sets out the law. To bring a claim you generally need 2 years' continuous employment, though some dismissals are automatically unfair regardless of service length.
The Five Potentially Fair Reasons for Dismissal
- Conduct — e.g. gross misconduct, persistent poor behaviour after warnings
- Capability — e.g. long-term sickness, inability to perform the role
- Redundancy — the job role is no longer required
- Illegality — continued employment would break the law (e.g. loss of driving licence for a driving job)
- Some Other Substantial Reason (SOSR) — e.g. breakdown of working relationship, end of fixed-term contract
Automatically Unfair Dismissal — No Service Requirement
Some dismissal reasons are automatically unfair regardless of length of service:
- Pregnancy or maternity/paternity leave
- Whistleblowing (protected disclosures under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998)
- Trade union membership or activity
- Exercising statutory rights (e.g. requesting flexible working, taking annual leave)
- Jury service
- Health and safety activities
- Asserting statutory employment rights
The Two Components of Unfair Dismissal Compensation
The Basic Award
The basic award is calculated using the same age-banded formula as statutory redundancy pay: half a week's pay per year under 22, one week per year aged 22–40, and one and a half weeks per year aged 41+. Weekly pay is capped at £643 (2024/25). The maximum basic award is £19,290.
The Compensatory Award
The compensatory award compensates you for actual financial loss caused by the unfair dismissal — lost wages (past and future), benefits, and pension loss. It is capped at the lower of £115,115 or 52 weeks' actual gross pay. Tribunals expect claimants to mitigate their loss by actively seeking new employment.
How to Make an Unfair Dismissal Claim
- Contact ACAS — You must contact ACAS within 3 months minus 1 day of your dismissal date. This is mandatory before submitting an ET1 form. Visit acas.org.uk or call 0300 123 1100.
- Early conciliation — ACAS will attempt to facilitate a settlement (typically over 6 weeks). Many claims settle at this stage.
- Submit ET1 — If conciliation fails, submit your ET1 claim form via the Employment Tribunal online service within the extended deadline shown on your ACAS certificate.
- Preliminary hearing — The Tribunal may hold a preliminary hearing to consider jurisdiction and any preliminary issues.
- Full merits hearing — Both parties present evidence. The Tribunal decides whether dismissal was fair and, if not, the level of compensation.