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Real compensation ranges for workplace sexual harassment in the UK. 2025/26 Vento bands, Worker Protection Act uplift, worked examples, and the factors that increase your claim.

What is the average compensation for sexual harassment at work?

Sexual harassment awards in UK employment tribunals typically fall between £10,000 and £50,000, with the median for a contested hearing around £20,000–£30,000. A single unwanted advance that was promptly addressed may result in a lower band award under £10,000. A prolonged campaign of harassment or a serious sexual assault at work can result in awards of £100,000 or more, particularly where a personal injury element is added.

Does the Worker Protection Act 2023 change how much I can claim?

Yes. Since 26 October 2024, UK employers have a positive duty under the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment. A tribunal can now uplift your compensation by up to 25% if the employer failed to take those preventative steps. This is on top of any ACAS uplift and is an entirely new lever that did not exist before 2024.

Can I claim if the harasser was not a manager?

Yes. Under section 109 of the Equality Act 2010, your employer is vicariously liable for sexual harassment by any employee during the course of employment — colleague, junior, peer, or manager. The employer has a defence only if they can show they took "all reasonable steps" to prevent the conduct. That defence is now significantly harder to run because of the Worker Protection Act 2023.

Is sexual harassment compensation uncapped?

Yes. Like all Equality Act claims, sexual harassment compensation is uncapped. There is no statutory ceiling on injury to feelings, financial loss, future loss, aggravated damages, or personal injury damages. The limit is what the tribunal decides is just and equitable. For comparison, ordinary unfair dismissal is capped at approximately £115,000 for the compensatory element.

Does the 3-month time limit still apply?

Yes — three months minus one day from the date of the act, or the last act in a continuing course of conduct. But the law treats a campaign of harassment as a continuing act, which means the clock starts on the last incident not the first. You also must contact ACAS for early conciliation first, which pauses the clock. If you delay past the deadline, the tribunal can only extend it on "just and equitable" grounds — discretionary and not guaranteed.

Can I claim for mental health harm caused by harassment?

Yes, and this is often a major component of a sexual harassment award. If the harassment caused a recognised psychiatric injury such as clinical depression, PTSD, or anxiety disorder, you can claim personal injury damages in addition to the Vento band award for injury to feelings. These damages follow the Judicial College Guidelines and can add tens of thousands of pounds to a serious claim.

Will I have to face the harasser at the tribunal hearing?

The tribunal can make special measures to protect you — including screens, separate waiting rooms, and remote video links for sensitive evidence. You can also ask for anonymity orders in serious cases. Your Start My Claim case file lets you note down any special measures you want to request when you submit your ET1.

No statutory ceiling under Equality Act 2010

Worker Protection Act 2023 preventative duty

No qualifying period — covers all workers

If you win a sexual harassment claim in an Employment Tribunal, your compensation is made up of injury to feelings (Vento bands), financial loss caused by the harassment, personal injury damages if you suffered psychiatric injury, aggravated damages in serious cases, and a preventative-duty uplift of up to 25% under the Worker Protection Act 2023. Tribunals treat sexual harassment as inherently serious, so awards tend to start in the middle Vento band rather than the lower band.

A single unwanted comment that HR addressed quickly may yield £5,000–£10,000. Persistent groping or inappropriate advances over months typically lands between £20,000 and £45,000. A serious sexual assault at work, or harassment that drove a claimant out of the profession, routinely exceeds £80,000 and can exceed £200,000 with personal injury damages.

Single inappropriate comment or look, employer took immediate action, you remained in the role without lasting impact. Rare for sexual harassment to fall this low.

Repeated unwanted advances, inappropriate touching, sexualised messages, employer knew but failed to act, significant impact on your wellbeing. This is the typical band for sexual harassment.

Serious physical groping, coercive advances from senior staff, sustained campaign of harassment, forced resignation, recognised psychiatric injury.

Sexual assault, quid pro quo harassment (promotions or dismissal tied to sexual compliance), employer cover-up, multiple victims silenced.

Since 26 October 2024, UK employers have had a positive legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their workers. This is not just about responding when harassment happens — it requires proactive prevention. The EHRC guidance lists concrete steps: risk assessments, training, clear reporting channels, and a named responsible person.

If you win a sexual harassment claim and the tribunal finds that your employer failed to meet this duty, it can uplift the compensation by up to 25%. This uplift applies to the full award — injury to feelings, financial loss, future loss, personal injury — not just one component. On a £40,000 award, that's up to £10,000 extra.

What counts as "reasonable steps"?

The EHRC guidance sets out a non-exhaustive list. A tribunal will look at whether your employer did the following:

• • Conducted a documented risk assessment of sexual harassment exposure
• • Provided meaningful training, not tick-box e-learning
• • Set out a clear, accessible reporting channel
• • Had a named person responsible for handling complaints
• • Acted promptly and fairly when concerns were raised
• • Checked in with staff after a complaint to prevent victimisation

Injury to feelings (Vento bands)

Compensation for humiliation, distress, anxiety, and loss of dignity. Sexual harassment awards tend to start higher in each band than other forms of discrimination because the conduct is inherently personal and intrusive.

Personal injury damages

If the harassment caused a recognised psychiatric injury such as anxiety disorder, depression, or PTSD, you can claim personal injury damages on top of the Vento band. These follow the Judicial College Guidelines: minor psychological damage £1,880–£7,150, moderate £7,150–£23,270, severe £23,270–£120,000.

Past and future loss of earnings

Wages you lost during sick leave, notice pay if you were forced to resign, and earnings you will not recover going forward. Where sexual harassment ends a career, future loss can be projected to normal retirement age — often the largest single component.

Extra compensation where the employer's handling of the complaint was high-handed — denied the harassment, ran a smear campaign, victimised you for complaining, or refused to investigate. Typically £3,000–£20,000 on top of Vento.

Worker Protection Act 2023 uplift

Up to 25% added to the whole award where the employer failed their preventative duty. This is new since October 2024 and tribunals are still setting benchmark uplift levels. Most claimants should plan for 10–15% as a realistic mid-point and argue for the full 25% where training and policies were clearly absent.

A separate uplift of up to 25% where the employer unreasonably failed to follow the ACAS Code on grievances. The Worker Protection uplift and ACAS uplift are cumulative — both can apply to the same claim.

Interest runs on discrimination awards from the date of the first act (for injury to feelings) and from the midpoint of financial loss (for the financial loss element). On a long-running claim, this adds 10–20% to the total.

Sexual harassment at work — full guide

Vento bands explained

Victimisation after complaining

Race discrimination compensation