CLAIMS that the UK is gripped by a compensation culture are without foundation, according to a report released today.
Fewer than one in 10 people injured or made ill at work receive money, it claims.
The TUC said 850,000 people suffer an accident at work or develop a disease because of their job every year, but only around 80,000 are given compensation from their e
mployer or the state.
Fewer than half the 60,000 people injured or made ill at work who applied to a Government industrial injuries scheme received money, research found.
Workers suffering from occupational deafness, breathing disorders or vibration white finger were most likely to receive compensation, while those with repetitive strain injury (RSI) and stress were more likely to miss out.
Average claims for compensation were £10,000, but this figure was usually halved because of legal fees and administration costs.
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "Some employers and commentators would have us believe that the UK is caught up in a compensation culture frenzy where, at a whim, people who are ever so slightly injured at work get to walk away with huge payouts.
"The reality is very different .
"Workers are losing out on billions of pounds, yet many of them may never work again. The UK's compensation system needs a complete overhaul to give injured and ill workers better justice."
