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How to enforce an award

Updated 23 October 2024

Acas and employment tribunal fast track scheme

The Acas and employment tribunal fast track scheme is provided by Registry Trust. This allows a High Court enforcement officer (HCEO) to be allocated to your case at the beginning of the enforcement process.

The HCEO will, through a solicitor, act on your behalf to:

• apply for your award to be enforced

• apply for a writ of control

• issue the writ of control

• attempt to recover the monies owed to you by the respondent

Fees

The only fee you need to pay will be the court fee to issue the writ of control. The court will add the fee to the amount the respondent already owes. If enforcement is successful you will recover the court fee.

You can find more information about court fees.

You may not have to pay a fee, or you may get some money off it if you either:

• only have a small amount of savings and investments

• receive certain benefits

• are on a low income

 This is sometimes known as ‘fee remission.’

You can apply for help with court and tribunal fees.

If enforcement is successful the respondent will be charged enforcement fees and interest as required. If enforcement is unsuccessful you will not be required to pay any enforcement fees.

How to use the fast track scheme

Enforcement can start as soon as the respondent has defaulted in payment of the award.

To start enforcement, you must complete form EX727.

You must send the completed form and any relevant documents to:

Registry Trust Limited
Acas and Employment Tribunal Enforcement
3rd Floor
12 Carthusian Street
London
EC1M 9EB

An HCEO will be assigned to your case.

Get a replacement for the original award

Contact the employment tribunal office that dealt with your case to get a replacement of the original award.

You do not have to pay a fee for this.

Claim interest on the award

The employment tribunal legislation provides that interest is currently payable at the rate of 8% per annum on unpaid awards.

If your award relates to a discrimination complaint, then interest on the award starts to accrue from a date 14 days after the date on which the judgment was sent to parties. If the award is unpaid, then interest begins to accrue from the day after the date on which the decision was made.

Interest on the award starts to accrue from a date 14 days after the date on which the judgement was sent to parties if your:

• claim was submitted before 29 July 2013

• award relates to a discrimination complaint

If the award is unpaid, then interest begins to accrue from the day after the date on which the judgment was sent.

Interest in employment tribunal awards begins to accrue from the calculation date. Details of this date will have been included in the interest order attached to your judgment.

The HCEO will add interest due to you in the application lodged with the court. From the date of issue of the High Court writ, interest will be payable at a rate of 8% on the total amount of the award and tribunal interest.

After you’ve submitted your application

Registry Trust will allocate your case to a HCEO on a rota basis.

Once accepted by Registry Trust, you will receive:

• an acknowledgement

• details of the HCEO instructed to enforce the award on your behalf

The HCEO will contact you about payment of the court fee. Once paid, the HCEO will complete the application form to the court for issue of the writ of control.

Track the progress of your application

Ring the HCEO’s office and ask the member of staff for a verbal update.

Allow at least 21 days from the date of acknowledgment by the HCEO before contacting the HCEO.

When you will receive your money

If successful, you will receive your money 14 days or so after the HCEO has recovered your money.

You will receive the amount of your judgment with interest at 8% and costs which will cover your fee. If the HCEO is unable to recover anything, for example because the respondent company has gone into liquidation, you will not be charged. However, you will be liable for the court fee.

If the HCEO recovers only part of the award, you will pay the HCEO’s fees in proportion to the amount recovered.

How the High Court enforcement officer will be paid

The HCEOs fees are paid by the respondent where enforcement is successful. If the HCEO is not successful, they will not get paid. If the HCEO is partially successful, they will only be paid a proportion of the fees.

HCEOs are regulated by the Lord Chancellor. The fees are set out in regulations, and are added to the total amount that is payable by the respondent.

Fast track scheme costs

If the HCEO is unsuccessful you will have to pay the court fee.

You will be liable for a proportion of the fees if there is partial recovery of the award.

Once you have instructed the HCEO, you should no longer have direct contact with the respondent.

If the HCEO takes control of goods to enforce the award, interested third parties may make a claim against the goods. The HCEO will ask you to agree or dispute the claim to the goods. If you agree the claim, the goods will be released.

Other goods may be seized by the HCEO to settle the award.

If you fail to respond, the HCEO may apply to court for a hearing to settle the claim.

If you dispute the claim, the third party may apply to the court. If their claim is successful, you may be liable for costs arising from the hearing.

Make a complaint about the service

All HCEOs have an internal complaints procedure — write and explain why you are unhappy, so that the HCEO can try to solve the problem.

If you cannot agree, then you can take a complaint to the High Court Enforcement Officers Association by writing to:

The Chairman
High Court Enforcement Officers Association
Suite S31
Northwich Business Centre, Meadow Street
Northwich
Cheshire
CW9 5BF

You can find out more information about making claim to an employment tribunal.

You can find out more information about the High Court Enforcement Officers Association.

You can also find out more about the Registry Trust.