Each year the Presidents of the Employment Tribunals update the Vento bands for injury to feelings awards to reflect changes in the Retail Prices Index (RPI).
Current and past Vento Bands
| Period | Lower Band | Middle Band | Upper Band | Exceptional Cases |
| From 6 Apr 2026 | £1,300 – £12,600 | £12,600 – £37,700 | £37,700 – £62,900 | Above £62,900 |
| 6 Apr 2025 – 5 Apr 2026 | £1,200 – £12,100 | £12,100 – £36,400 | £36,400 – £60,700 | Above £60,700 |
| 6 Apr 2024 – 5 Apr 2025 | £1,200 – £11,700 | £11,700 – £35,200 | £35,200 – £58,700 | Above £58,700 |
| 6 Apr 2023 – 5 Apr 2024 | £1,100 – £11,200 | £11,200 – £33,700 | £33,700 – £56,200 | Above £56,200 |
| 6 Apr 2022 – 5 Apr 2023 | £990 – £9,900 | £9,900 – £29,600 | £29,600 – £49,300 | Above £49,300 |
| 6 Apr 2021 – 5 Apr 2022 | £900 – £9,100 | £9,100 – £27,400 | £27,400 – £45,600 | Above £45,600 |
Vento Band Descriptions
Lower Band: Less serious cases — typically isolated or one-off incidents of discriminatory treatment with limited impact on the claimant’s wellbeing.
Middle Band: More serious cases — repeated or significant discriminatory treatment causing substantial negative impact. Cases that do not merit an award in the upper band.
Upper Band: Most serious cases — severe, prolonged or long-standing discriminatory behaviour resulting in a severe or potentially long-lasting impact on the claimant.
Exceptional Cases: Reserved for the rarest and most severe cases. Awards exceeding the upper band are uncommon in practice.
Source: Presidential Guidance issued by the Presidents of the Employment Tribunals (England & Wales). The top row reflects the current rates applicable from 6 April 2026 (Ninth Addendum, March 2026).
What is Vento?
Vento is a Court of Appeal case from 2003 about injury to feelings awards made in discrimination cases. The Court offered guidance on valuation of injury to feelings awards, proving a lower, middle and top band. The case has been used ever since, with updating to allow for inflation, as a guide to valuation of discrimination and whistleblowing injury to feelings awards. Full case citation: Vento v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police [2003] IRLR 102, CA.
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