Mr M Moro v B&Q Limited — 2020

The claimant brought a claim alleging that B & Q Plc had made unlawful deductions from his wages. The respondent accepted deductions had been made, but said they were required under council tax attachment of earnings orders issued following liability orders obtained by the London Borough of Waltham Forest.

The claimant accepted that he owed council tax to Waltham Forest, had seen liability orders and attachment of earnings orders, and had received notices of court hearings. He raised unclear concerns about whether the deductions had been authorised by a court and whether the orders were genuine, but the Tribunal found no evidence suggesting the documents provided to the respondent were fraudulent and dismissed that allegation as without merit.

The Tribunal accepted the unchallenged evidence of Mr Roots from the respondent's payroll department. It found that the respondent received council tax attachment of earnings orders and made the practical arrangements to give effect to them. The Tribunal concluded that the deductions were required or authorised by statutory provision and were therefore lawfully made.