The Law Society has condemned as creating a barrier to justice government plans to introduce fees for taking claims to employment tribunals and employment appeals tribunals.

The government is consulting on charging fees in order to transfer costs of running the employment tribunal system to users and to encourage parties to resolve disputes without going to tribunal.

However, Law Society president John Wotton warned that many people who have just lost their job and are facing financial uncertainty would be unable to pay fees of between £150 and £1,250.

In its own response to the consultation, the Employment Lawyers Association warned that charges could cost more money than they save. It said that the administrative burden of dealing with the payment and remission of fees has been ‘seriously underestimated, undermining the aim of saving taxpayers’ money’.

The consultation closed on Tuesday.