Employment Law Research Results: Most Common Employment Claims in 2024–2025

Which Type of Employment Claim Is Most Common in the UK?

At Lawson West Solicitors, our Employment Law team has undertaken a detailed review of enquiry data spanning a 16-month period, from November 2023 to February 2025. The results shed light on the most frequently raised employment law issues by individuals across the UK and the trends shaping today’s workplace concerns.

Top Employment Law Enquiries:

During this research period, we analysed hundreds of employment claim enquiries received by our team. The findings show that the majority (66%) of all enquiries related to just three key areas:

• Settlement Agreements – 24.2%

• Dismissal or Constructive Unfair Dismissal – 21.0%

• Discrimination – 20.6%

Other common enquiry types included:

• Grievance issues – 6.0%

• Pay and Wages claims – 4.9%

• General employment queries – 4.7%

• Redundancy (other types) – 4.0%

• Damages-Based Agreements (DBA) – 4.0%

• Negotiated Exit – 2.8%

• Whistleblowing – 2.1%

• Disciplinary Hearings – 1.9%

• Other claims – 3.6%

 

Discrimination Claims: A Closer Look

Of the discrimination-related enquiries (20.6%), the breakdown by type revealed:

• Disability discrimination – 70%

• Race or religion – 12%

• Pregnancy and sexual discrimination – 8% each

• Other types – 2%

This underscores a continued challenge in the workplace for employees with disabilities, who remain the most frequent group raising concerns of unfair treatment.

 

Key Employment Law Trends and Insights

Our research also highlighted significant shifts in employment law trends over the past year:

• Negotiated Exit enquiries dropped 57% in the period July 2024 – February 2025, compared to the previous eight months.

• Harassment claims fell sharply, with general harassment enquiries at just 0.75%, and sexual harassment down to 0.28%.

• Bullying complaints also declined significantly, representing just 0.37% of all enquiries from September 2024 onwards.

• Whistleblowing claims increased by 2% in the second half of the research period.

• Dismissal and Constructive Unfair Dismissal claims peaked in February 2025, with figures more than double the monthly average from 2024.

This sharp February spike in dismissal-related enquiries coincided with employers anticipating changes introduced by the UK Employment Rights Bill (March 2025). This new legislation includes:

• A day-one right not to be unfairly dismissed

• Tougher rules around “fire and rehire” tactics

• Greater protections for zero-hours contract workers

Our data suggests some employers may have taken pre-emptive steps to dismiss employees before the new protections came into force.

 

What this Means for Employees

These findings illustrate a workplace landscape where employees continue to seek clarity and protection around settlement terms, dismissal processes, and their rights in discrimination cases. With significant legislative changes now in effect, it’s more important than ever for individuals to understand their legal position and seek timely advice.

 

Need Help With an Employment Issue?

If you believe you have a situation where you require legal advice, please contact us on telephone 0116 212 1000 or 01858 445 480, alternatively complete the free Contact Us form and we will get in touch as soon as possible.

 

*Research based on internal enquiry data collected by Lawson West Solicitors from November 2023 to February 2025.

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