Natures Journey Ltd (in creditors voluntary liquidation) and Secretary of State for Business and Trade

Case Summary

Ms Belton brought claims for unpaid wages, partly unpaid notice pay, and accrued but unpaid holiday pay against Natures Journey Ltd (in liquidation) and the Secretary of State for Business and Trade. The tribunal dismissed all claims as they were brought out of the primary time limit and the claimant provided no evidence for why it was not reasonably practicable to bring them in time. The claim for injury to feelings was also dismissed as misconceived, being unavailable as a remedy for wage deduction and contractual claims.

The tribunal found that the claims for unlawful deduction of wages, unpaid notice pay, and accrued holiday pay were brought out of the primary time limit. Although the claimant initiated ACAS early conciliation within the time limit, she did not present her claim within one month of the end of that process (she presented it on 26 July 2025 after ACAS conciliation ended on 3 June 2026). The claimant provided no evidence for why it was not reasonably practicable to bring the claims in time. Additionally, injury to feelings is not an available remedy for claims of unlawful deduction of wages, breach of contract, or holiday pay claims.

• •Whether claims for unlawful deduction of wages, unpaid notice pay, and accrued but unpaid holiday pay were brought within the time limit
• •Whether the claimant had a reasonable excuse for bringing claims out of time
• •Whether injury to feelings is an available remedy for wage deduction and contractual claims
• •Application for legal costs

EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNALS Claimant: Ms S Belton Respondent: (1) Natures Journey Limited (in creditors voluntary liquidation) (2) Secretary of State for Business & Trade Heard at: London South (in public, by video) On: 24 March 2026 Before: Employment Judge Moor Representation Claimant: did not attend Respondents: did not attend JUDGMENT 1. The complaints of unlawful deduction of wages; accrued but unpaid annual leave on termination and partly unpaid notice pay were brought out of the primary time limit. The Claimant has not provided evidence for why it was not reasonably practicable to bring the claims in time. I therefore dismiss the claims. 2. The application for legal costs does not succeed. 3. The claim for injury to feelings is misconceived and does not succeed. REASONS 1. The Claimant brings claims for: 1.1. Unpaid wages 1.2. Partly unpaid notice pay 1.3. Accrued but unpaid holiday pay outstanding on the termination of her employment. 1.4. Injury to feelings. 2. She also applies for her legal costs. Attendance 3. Notice of this hearing was sent to the parties on 31 October 2025. An email reminding the parties of the hearing today was sent yesterday at 2.45pm. The Claimant did not attend. The Second Respondent sent written submissions. The First Respondent was unlikely to attend: it is in voluntary liquidation. 4. My clerk telephoned the Claimant who said she did not know about the hearing today and could not attend. While she expressed some uncertainty about the way forward, she also suggested she was happy for the hearing to go ahead in her absence. She confirmed that she had been paid the sums set out in the Secretary of State’s response (£5,447) but said that this was not everything that she was owed. She said she had moved house since bringing her claim, but my clerk established that this was after the date the Notice of Hearing was sent. 5. I consi…