Just Eat faces crucial tribunal hearing

An employment status hearing concerning claims made by more than 7,000 couriers against Just Eat will commence on Tuesday 5 May 2026 at the London Tribunals Centre. The proceedings, anticipated to last until 2 June 2026, will decide whether the couriers are classified as employees or workers, as contended by law firm Leigh Day, or if they remain self-employed independent contractors. The ruling will have significant implications for the couriers’ entitlement to fundamental workplace protections such as the National Minimum Wage, paid holiday, and written employment terms.

Key preliminary issues will be reviewed during the tribunal, including whether the couriers meet the necessary legal criteria for employee or “limb (b)” worker status. The court will also assess whether Just Eat should be viewed as their employer regarding employment rights legislation. The couriers argue that the reality of their working relationship contradicts Just Eat's classification of them as self-employed.

Judgment is anticipated later in 2026, and the outcome of this case could set a precedent for similar claims across the gig economy. Leigh Day is currently representing various worker status claims involving drivers and couriers, advocating for their fundamental rights. Following a January 2025 tribunal ruling that confirmed Addison Lee drivers as workers entitled to benefits, and an earlier decision in 2024 regarding Bolt drivers, the direction of the law is shifting. This case follows the landmark 2021 UK Supreme Court decision in favour of Uber drivers, reflecting the ongoing evolution of employment law in the gig economy. Leigh Day has additional claims in progress against eCourier and BCA