Industrial Dermatitis Compensation Calculator

How much compensation can I claim for industrial dermatitis?

Industrial (occupational) dermatitis is a skin condition – usually contact dermatitis – caused or made worse by exposure to irritants or allergens at work, such as chemicals, solvents, wet work, cement or frequent glove use. It typically appears on the hands and forearms as redness, cracking, soreness, blistering or itching, and can become chronic if exposure continues without proper protection. If your employer failed to control your exposure to a known skin irritant or sensitiser, you may be able to claim compensation. This calculator gives an estimated range for general damages using published Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) bands for dermatitis, plus lost earnings and treatment costs. It is built for UK workers in higher-risk trades – hairdressing, catering, cleaning, healthcare, construction and manufacturing – who want a realistic starting figure before speaking to a solicitor.

How the estimate is worked out

The calculator combines two elements:

• General damages – an indicative band for pain, suffering and loss of amenity, from minor cases that clear up within a few months of treatment and reduced exposure, through moderate cases affecting one or both hands for a longer period, up to severe cases with continuing symptoms and no full recovery, which can affect your ability to continue in your trade.
• Special damages – your financial losses, principally lost earnings if you needed time off, reduced hours, or were redeployed to a role with less exposure (often at lower pay), plus the cost of prescription creams, dermatologist appointments and patch testing to identify the trigger.

Severity is generally assessed by how widespread the dermatitis is (one hand versus both hands, or spreading to forearms), whether it has become chronic despite treatment and reduced exposure, and the impact on your ability to keep working in your trade – hairdressers, healthcare workers and machinists who develop dermatitis from their core job duties often face the hardest choice between continuing to work through symptoms or retraining into a different role.

Worked example

Chloe, a hairdresser, developed contact dermatitis on both hands after years of exposure to hairdressing chemicals with inconsistent glove use provided by her salon. Despite treatment, her symptoms persisted and she was moved to front-of-house duties for 2 months while her skin recovered, on a salary of £24,000, and paid £180 for dermatologist appointments and prescription creams. Her case is classed as moderate (£10,550–£13,930 general damages). Adding roughly £4,000 in reduced earnings during redeployment and her £180 treatment costs, her total estimated claim falls in the region of £14,730 to £18,110. If her dermatitis had instead become permanent and forced a full career change, her claim would move into the severe band and would likely include a much larger claim for future loss of earnings.

Who can claim?

You may have grounds for a claim if:

• Your job regularly exposed your skin to irritants (detergents, solvents, cement, oils) or sensitisers (certain chemicals, some hairdressing products, latex), and this is a recognised cause of your dermatitis.
• Your employer failed to carry out a proper COSHH risk assessment, failed to provide suitable gloves or protective equipment, provided the wrong type of glove for the substances used, or did not train you on safe handling and skin care.
• A GP, dermatologist or occupational health specialist has diagnosed occupational contact dermatitis, ideally supported by patch testing identifying the specific trigger.
• You are within the standard three-year time limit, running from the date you first knew (or reasonably should have known) that your skin condition was linked to your work – often later than when symptoms first appeared, since dermatitis can develop gradually.

Common mistakes that reduce a claim

People often keep working through worsening symptoms without reporting them, assuming it will clear up on its own, which makes it harder later to prove a clear link between your job and the condition. Report symptoms to your employer and GP as soon as they appear, ask for a COSHH risk assessment and safety data sheets for the substances you handle, and request patch testing through your GP or occupational health to identify the specific trigger. Keep a symptom diary noting when your skin worsens (for example, after specific tasks or products) and improves (such as during time away from work), as this pattern is often key evidence linking the condition to your job.

What affects how much you're awarded

Whether the condition has become chronic despite treatment and reduced exposure is the biggest factor – occupational dermatitis that resolves once you are moved away from the trigger substance is valued far lower than a condition that persists even after exposure stops. Impact on your trade or career is significant and often forms a distinct head of loss on top of general damages: if dermatitis forces you to retrain, take a lower-paid role, or leave a skilled trade such as hairdressing or nursing altogether, the future loss of earnings this causes can substantially exceed the general damages figure. Visible or extensive involvement – cracking, bleeding, or spread beyond the hands to forearms or other areas – increases an award, as does psychological impact where a visible, chronic skin condition affects confidence or causes diagnosed anxiety.

Employer responsibilities under COSHH

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) require employers to assess the risk from substances that could cause dermatitis or other ill health, and either prevent exposure or, where this is not reasonably practicable, adequately control it – through suitable protective gloves matched to the specific chemicals used, hand washing and skin care facilities, information and training, and health surveillance for employees in higher-risk roles. Employers in trades with well-known dermatitis risks (hairdressing, catering, healthcare, cleaning, construction, motor vehicle repair) are expected to be particularly alert to this duty and to carry out regular skin checks as part of health surveillance, so that early signs of irritation are picked up and acted on before the condition becomes chronic. Failure to carry out a proper COSHH assessment, provide the correct protective equipment, or act on reported symptoms is strong evidence of a breach of duty, and is one of the most common findings in successful occupational dermatitis claims.

How the claims process works

Most industrial dermatitis claims start with a free consultation with a personal injury or industrial disease solicitor, typically on a no-win-no-fee (Conditional Fee Agreement) basis, so there is no upfront cost and nothing to pay if the claim is unsuccessful. Your solicitor will obtain your medical and occupational health records, may arrange an independent dermatology assessment and patch testing if not already done, and send a formal Letter of Claim to your employer (or former employer) and their Employers' Liability insurer. Cases with clear evidence of a COSHH breach and a supporting medical report often settle through negotiation within around 12 to 18 months.

Frequently asked questions

How much compensation can you get for industrial dermatitis in the UK?

General damages for occupational dermatitis typically range from around £2,080 for a minor case that clears with treatment up to £23,430 or more for a severe, continuing case, based on published Judicial College Guidelines bands. Lost earnings, treatment costs, and future loss of earnings if you cannot continue in your trade are added on top. Every case is valued individually.

Can I claim for dermatitis if I already had sensitive skin?

Yes, but compensation may be reduced to reflect a pre-existing susceptibility if it materially contributed to your condition. Full disclosure of your medical history to your solicitor and any expert is important – the key legal question is usually whether your employer's failure to protect you still caused or materially worsened the condition beyond what would have happened anyway.

Do I need patch testing to prove my claim?

It significantly strengthens a claim. Patch testing, usually arranged by a dermatologist, identifies the specific substance you react to and helps establish a clear link between your job duties and your condition, which is often central to proving both breach of duty and causation.

What if my employer says I wasn't given the wrong gloves?

Not all gloves protect against all substances – some chemicals penetrate certain glove materials. Safety data sheets for the substances used should specify suitable protective equipment; if your employer provided gloves unsuitable for the actual chemicals you handled, this can still amount to a breach of their COSHH duties even if some protective equipment was provided.

What is the time limit for an industrial dermatitis claim?

Generally three years from the date you knew, or reasonably should have known, that your skin condition was caused by your work. Because dermatitis can develop gradually with exposure, this date is often later than when symptoms first appeared – a solicitor can help establish the correct date for your case.

Can I claim if I've already left the job that caused my dermatitis?

Yes. You can bring a claim against a former employer for a condition caused by exposure during your employment with them, provided you are within the time limit and can evidence the link between your former role and your dermatitis.

Will a claim affect my current employment?

No. Workplace injury and industrial disease claims are covered by your employer's compulsory Employers' Liability insurance, and it is unlawful for an employer to dismiss or treat you unfairly for bringing a legitimate claim.

Source: Employer duties under HSE – COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) and HSE – Skin at work; symptoms and treatment from NHS.UK – Contact dermatitis; general damages bands reflect published solicitor guidance on Judicial College Guidelines awards for dermatitis, see Judicial College – Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages. Figures are indicative estimates – every case differs, seek advice from a regulated solicitor.