Mrs J Dickinson v Bela Care Limited — 2024

Mrs Dickinson brought a claim for unpaid wages arising from her short period of work for Bela Care Limited as a care coordinator. The tribunal heard evidence from her alone after the respondent failed to participate for the full hearing. No documents or witness evidence had been filed in advance. The tribunal noted that the respondent had responded to the claim, saying the amount was not verified and that it was willing to pay the correct balance once established in instalments, but it had not put forward any substantive defence at hearing.

The tribunal accepted Mrs Dickinson's evidence that she worked between 1 May and 21 June 2023, keeping a record of 234.75 hours, at an agreed rate of £11 per hour. On that basis, the gross pay due was £2,582.25. Against that sum, the tribunal found that two bank transfers had been made, £300 on 27 May and £450 on 3 June, leaving a gross unpaid balance of £1,832.25. The tribunal also accepted that no contract of employment or payslips had been provided and that the claimant was unclear what tax or National Insurance deductions, if any, had been made.

Although the claim form had originally been for £1,236.32, the tribunal allowed the claimant to recover the higher sum proved at the hearing. It treated the discrepancy as an amendment to the pleaded amount and said the claimant should not be penalised for the absence of proper pay records. Judgment was therefore entered for unauthorised deductions from wages in the gross sum of £1,832.25.