Four former employees win redundancy, wage and pension claims against Carl's Kitchen Limited
An employment tribunal has upheld claims from four former employees of Carl's Kitchen Limited for unpaid redundancy, unauthorised wage deductions, and missing pension contributions. The company failed to attend the hearing.
1 min read · Last updated 18 May 2026
Case details
Key facts
- Sandra Kelly was dismissed without notice and not paid pension contributions.
- David Fox had an unauthorised deduction from his wages on 31 January 2023.
- Dawn Brown was not paid redundancy, holiday pay, and full January wages, and was unfairly dismissed.
- Carolyn Leyland was not paid statutory redundancy.
- The respondent failed to provide written statements of employment particulars to all claimants.
Timeline
-
Pension contributions period starts
Sandra Kelly's pension contributions were not paid from October 2022.
-
Unauthorised deduction from David Fox's pay
David Fox had £1187.69 deducted from his wages due on 31 January 2023.
-
Dawn Brown's wages shortfall
Dawn Brown was not paid full wages for January 2023, short by £506.
-
Hearing
The employment tribunal heard the claims at Midlands West Employment Tribunal.
-
Judgment issued
The tribunal issued its judgment in favour of all claimants.
The legal issue
The tribunal had to decide whether the employees were entitled to statutory redundancy pay, damages for breach of contract (including notice pay and pension contributions), and compensation for unauthorised deductions and failure to provide written particulars.
The outcome
The tribunal ruled in favour of all four claimants, ordering Carl's Kitchen Limited to pay a total of over £19,000 in compensation.
- Sandra Kelly: £7,980 statutory redundancy, £3,192 damages for breach of contract (notice), £199.86 for unpaid pension contributions, and £532 for failure to provide written particulars.
- David Fox: £1,187.69 for unauthorised deduction from wages, and £720 for failure to provide written particulars.
- Dawn Brown: £1,000 statutory redundancy, £1,604.40 for unauthorised deductions (holiday pay and wages), £300 for unfair dismissal, and £400 for failure to provide written particulars.
- Carolyn Leyland: £2,700 statutory redundancy, and £720 for failure to provide written particulars.
Lessons & takeaways
- Employers must pay statutory redundancy when making employees redundant, regardless of financial difficulties.
- Failure to pay pension contributions or make unauthorised wage deductions can lead to successful claims for breach of contract.
- Employees are entitled to a written statement of employment particulars; failing to provide one can result in additional compensation of 2-4 weeks' pay.
- Even if an employer does not attend the hearing, the tribunal can still decide the case based on the evidence presented by the claimant.
What this case shows in practice
Four former employees of Carl's Kitchen Limited successfully brought claims for unpaid redundancy, unauthorised wage deductions, and missing pension contributions. The company did not attend the hearing, and the tribunal found in favour of all claimants. This case highlights the importance of employers meeting their statutory obligations, even when facing financial pressures.
What the losing side could have done differently
Carl's Kitchen Limited could have avoided these claims by paying statutory redundancy, providing proper notice, and making required pension contributions. The company also failed to provide written statements of employment particulars, which led to additional compensation awards. Attending the hearing might have allowed the company to present mitigating circumstances, but the absence meant the tribunal accepted the claimants' evidence.
Why the result matters for similar claims
This case demonstrates that employees can enforce their rights to redundancy pay, notice pay, and pension contributions through the tribunal system. The additional awards for failure to provide written particulars (up to 4 weeks' pay) serve as a deterrent to employers who neglect basic administrative duties. Claimants who represent themselves can still succeed, especially when the respondent fails to engage with the process.
Similar cases
Redundancy dismissal and multiple wage breaches: employer's failure to engage proves costly
A former employee won over £5,000 after being made redundant without proper notice, holiday pay, or written particulars. The employer's failure to comply with tribunal orders led to its defence being struck out.
Mass redundancy without employee elections: protective award and multiple breaches
A tribunal found that Elliot House Limited unfairly dismissed most of its workforce in a redundancy process that failed to arrange employee representative elections, entitling them to a protective award, notice pay, and compensation for pension contribution breaches.
Redundancy dismissal leads to £17,570 award for multiple employment rights breaches
A former employee of Duchy Farm Kennels Ltd was awarded £17,570.97 after being unfairly dismissed by redundancy, with the tribunal also finding unauthorised wage deductions, unpaid holiday pay, and failure to provide written particulars.
Two employees unfairly dismissed after wage deductions and ACAS code breach
Two former employees of Strong Maker Limited were awarded over £20,000 in total after the tribunal found they were unfairly and automatically unfairly dismissed, with a 25% uplift for the employer's failure to follow the ACAS Code of Practice.