Discrimination awards increase

A survey by the Equal Opportunities Review found there were 14 discrimination awards above £100,000 in 2009, twice the number for 2008 and three times the 2007 figure. The average award was £20,910, also a record, although the median actually fell to £7,806. The editor, Sue Johnstone, attributed the high number of large awards to tribunals gaining confidence in using their powers to award unlimited amounts of compensation, a large part of which was for future loss of earnings. Awards for injury to feelings had gone down, with two-thirds of awards falling into the lowest band of £6,000 or less. She cited some particularly high awards – for example £40,000 for sex discrimination and £35,000 for disability – but the amount most often awarded was £5,000.