Vento v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police
[2003] ICR 318
Independent editorial summary — not the official judgment. Read the full judgment via the source link.
Ratio Decidendi
Compensation for injury to feelings in discrimination cases should be awarded in three bands: a lower band for less serious cases, a middle band for serious cases that do not merit the highest award, and an upper band for the most serious cases.
Facts
Ms Vento, a police officer, suffered sex discrimination and was constructively dismissed. The employment tribunal awarded £165,000 for injury to feelings, which was challenged as excessive.
Judgment Summary
The Court of Appeal established three bands for injury to feelings awards: a lower band (£500–£5,000), a middle band (£5,000–£15,000), and an upper band (£15,000–£25,000), with exceptional cases potentially exceeding the upper band. The award was reduced to £18,000.
Key Quotes
Awards for injury to feelings should not be so low as to diminish respect for the policy of anti-discrimination legislation, nor so high as to be regarded as untaxed riches.
Editorial summary of reasoning attributed to Mummery LJ(not a verbatim quotation)
Subsequent Treatment
The Vento bands (updated annually) remain the standard framework for injury to feelings awards in all discrimination cases.
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