A joint report, published this month, by the national trade union centre, TUC, and APIL, has debunked common misconceptions surrounding workplace compensation claims and the UK’s alleged “compensation culture”.

The Compensation Myth report found that there were 183,342 compensation claims in 2002/03 compared to just 91,115 in 2012/13; a fall of more than 50% over the decade.

The report also dispelled myths around the size of compensation pay-outs, and found that 87.5% of workers who are injured or become ill at work do not receive any compensation whatsoever.

Of an analysis of nearly 64,000 claims made during 2011, the majority of workplace injury claimants received less than £5,000.

Tom Jones, head of policy at Thompsons Solicitors said: “The insurers and the government would have us believe that we live in a compensation culture, yet every government report and now the figures outlined in The Compensation Myth report, paints a very different picture. In fact workplace claims have significantly fallen.

“The report makes clear the extent the government is making it difficult for workers to successfully claim against their employer. And that is deeply concerning.

“The government's moves to reduce the number of workplace compensation claims, and the weakening of Health and Safety legislation, brings a very real risk that accidents and deaths in the work place will be on the rise.”