Local councils across the country could be hit with multi-million-pound legal challenges following  Birmingham City Council’s defeat over pay awards.

Metro reports the council now has to pay compensation to more than 4,000 women, who complained they were excluded from bonus schemes paid to men on similar grades and worth up to 160% of their salaries. While the total bill has yet to be determined but equal pay awards can be backdated for a maximum of six years plus interest.

One legal firm told the paper it estimated each worker could receive £100,000 or more.