Took old job to tribunal, now manager won't write me a reference

[ToeSucker]

I was well regarded when I worked at my previous company but they had significant management issues which meant they were breaking employment law in a number of ways.
I handled the situation entirely professionally and politely via ACAS and they eventually paid me most of what I was owed.
However, now I need a reference and my old boss (a board member) won't respond to me.

Do I just have to accept this and look terrible to future employers though no fault of my own?

Can you get a generic HR reference from the company?

Agree with PP. You need a standard HR reference (dates, job title etc.) from their HR department.

Your old boss doesn't have to give you a personal reference. You've asked him, he may be OOO, so give him a little time but find another personal reference to fall back on..

Many companies aren't keen on managers giving personal references these days, but a decent person would just let you know they've forwarded it to HR, or would advise you to contact HR instead.

I think the new company prefers references from HR these days?
To avoid the glowing reference actually written by the best mate boss, or nephew boss and so on.

If the tribunal was for discrimination then refusing to provide a reference would constitute unlawful victimisation. Agree with the above though about going through HR for any reference requests.

Thank you. The tribunal was for unpaid wages, expenses, pension. Otherwise no issues.

There is no HR department AND agency has asked for a reference from a manager.