The honest position first
Bullying by itself is not unlawful in the UK, so there is no specific claim for bullying at work compensation. But the things that bullying at work usually involves often are unlawful, and that is where compensation comes from. The skill is matching what happened to you to the right legal route.
The four genuine routes to compensation
Harassment or discrimination
The bullying relates to a protected characteristic such as sex, race, disability or age. Compensation includes an injury to feelings award, and there is no upper cap. This is the strongest route where it applies.
Constructive dismissal
The bullying made your position untenable and you resigned as a result. Compensation covers lost earnings, subject to a cap. You normally need two years' service, and resigning too early or too late can sink the claim.
Personal injury
The bullying caused a recognised psychiatric or physical injury, such as clinical depression or PTSD, and your employer failed to protect you. These claims go through the civil courts, not the tribunal, and need medical evidence.
Breach of contract or health and safety duties
Your employer ignored its own policies or its duty to provide a safe workplace. Often used alongside one of the routes above rather than alone.
What awards actually look like
For harassment and discrimination, injury to feelings is assessed in three bands known as the Vento bands. They are updated each April, so treat these as indicative rather than exact.
Roughly £1,000 to £12,000, for one-off or less serious cases
Vento guidance
Roughly £12,000 to £36,000, for serious cases that do not merit the top band
Vento guidance
Roughly £36,000 to £60,000 and above, for the most serious, prolonged campaigns
Vento guidance
On top of injury to feelings, you can recover financial losses such as lost earnings, and awards can be increased by up to 25 percent where the employer unreasonably ignored the Acas Code. Most real cases settle before a hearing, usually for less than the headline figures, in exchange for speed and certainty.
The deadlines that decide everything
More strong claims are lost to deadlines than to weak facts. An employment tribunal claim must normally be started within three months less one day of the act you are complaining about, and you must contact Acas for early conciliation first. The clock does not stop while an internal grievance drags on.
Protecting your position
- Work out your earliest possible deadline now, from the most recent incident, and write it somewhere you will see it.
- Do not let a slow grievance process run the clock down. You can contact Acas while a grievance is ongoing.
- Keep building your evidence log, because settlement discussions are much more productive with a dated record behind you.
- Get advice on which route fits before you commit to any of them.
- Consider what you actually want: money, a reference, an exit, or the behaviour to stop. It changes the strategy.
Being realistic about the odds
Tribunal claims are stressful, slow and uncertain, and most people who start one do not see a hearing. That is not a reason to stay quiet. The credible possibility of a claim is often what brings an employer to the table, and the majority of bullying-related exits end in a negotiated settlement with a payment, agreed reference and confidentiality clause.
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Common questions
Can I get compensation for bullying if it is not linked to a protected characteristic?
Not through a discrimination claim, but possibly through a personal injury claim if your health was damaged, or through constructive dismissal if you were forced to resign. Each has its own tests and timescales.
How much compensation for bullying in the workplace in the UK?
For harassment, injury to feelings awards follow the Vento bands, roughly £1,000 to £60,000 and above depending on severity, plus financial losses. Constructive dismissal compensation is based on lost earnings and is capped. Most negotiated settlements sit below the headline figures.
Do I need a lawyer?
Not necessarily at the start. Acas, Citizens Advice and unions can advise for free. For a tribunal claim or a serious personal injury case, specialist advice is strongly recommended, and many solicitors offer an initial assessment at no charge.
Will I have to go to a hearing?
Usually not. Most cases that have merit settle beforehand, often through Acas conciliation or a settlement agreement. A full hearing is the exception, not the rule.
HeartBrain
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HeartBrain is a free, anonymous community and resource library for anyone affected by workplace bullying and harassment, plus a culture questionnaire for organisations serious about fixing it. We are opening soon.
If you are struggling right now, you do not have to wait for us. In the UK, Samaritans are free on 116 123, day or night. Acas offer free workplace advice on 0300 123 1100.
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