Tag: Ministry of Justice

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 26 February 2025.

An update on upcoming increases to selected court and tribunal fees.

In early April 2025, and subject to parliamentary approval, the Ministry of Justice will increase 171 court and tribunal fees to account for changes to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The income generated from these uplifts will help to support the efficient and effective running of His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS).

The department recovers a modest contribution towards the costs of providing HMCTS services from court and tribunal users, where they can afford to do so. The department has a history of increasing court and tribunal fees by inflation to ensure that fees keep pace with increased costs to HMCTS as a result of the general rise in prices, while at the same time minimising the cost to the taxpayer.

The majority of the 171 fees in scope will be increased by 3.2% to reflect the change in CPI between March 2023 and March 2024, with a small number of fees increased by 13.5% to reflect backdated inflation to March 2022. These fee increases are all rounded to the nearest pound. These fee changes will produce a significant level of additional funding that will go towards improving service delivery, subsidising the cost of related court and tribunal services for which we do not charge a fee, and reducing the overall cost to the taxpayer.

The Help with Fees remissions scheme remains available for those with lower financial means who are unable to afford a court or tribunal fee. More information on the scheme can be found on GOV.UK.

As well as increasing fees, the department will be reducing the value of a further 24 fees to ensure they remain aligned with the latest estimate of their underlying cost.

A full list of the fee changes, including the 171 to be increased and the 24 to be reduced, can be found in the table below. The government’s intention is for the changes to go live from 1 April for applications received by courts or tribunals on or after that date. Until then, the current fees will continue to apply.

Civil Proceedings Fees Order 2008

SI Reference ID	Description	Current	New
1.4a	Recovery of Land (High Court)	£528	£545
1.4b	Recovery of Land (County Court)	£391	£404
1.5	Any other remedy (County Court)	£365	£377
1.5	Any other remedy (High Court)	£626	£646
1.6	Filing proceedings against an unnamed party	£65	£67
1.8a	Permission to issue proceedings	£65	£67
1.8b	Assessment of costs (under Part 3, Solicitors Act 1974)	£65	£67
1.9a	For permission to apply for judicial review	£169	£174
1.9b	On applying for a request to reconsider at a hearing a decision on permission	£424	£438
1.9ba	On an application for judicial review where fee 1.9(b) has been paid and permission is granted at a hearing	£385	£436
1.9c	Permission to proceed with judicial review if started with application for permission to apply for JR	£847	£874
1.9d	Permission to proceed with judicial review where started other than with permission to apply for JR	£169	£174
2.1a	Hearing fee: Multi track case	£1,175	£1,334
2.1b	Hearing fee: Fast track case	£545	£619
2.2	Appellant’s/respondent’s notice (High Court)	£285	£294
2.3a	Appellant’s/respondent’s notice (County court small claims)	£142	£147
2.3b	Appellant’s/respondent’s notice (County court other claims)	£166	£171
2.4(a)	General application (on notice) excluding Protection from Harassment Act 1997 & Court Fund Pay Out	£303	£313
2.4(b)	General application (on notice) Protection from Harassment Act 1997 & Court Fund Pay Out	£184	£190
2.5(a)	General application (by consent/without notice) excluding Protection from Harassment Act 1997 & Court Fund Pay Out	£119	£123
2.5(b)	General application (by consent/without notice) Protection from Harassment Act 1997 & Court Fund Pay Out	£59	£61
2.6	Application for summons or order for witness to attend court	£21	£4
2.8	Issue of a certificate of satisfaction	£15	£19
3.1b	Petition for bankruptcy (presented by creditor/other person)	£332	£343
3.4(a)	Request for a certificate of discharge from bankruptcy	£75	£22
3.7	Voluntary winding up fee	£50	£16
3.9	Submission of nominees report	£35	£11
3.11	Application within proceedings (by consent/without notice)	£29	£30
3.12	Application within insolvency proceedings (with notice, where no other fee is specified)	£109	£112
3.13	Search of bankruptcy and company records (County Court)	£45	£11
3.2	Petition for an administration order	£332	£343
3.3	Any other petition	£332	£343
3.5	Insolvency – other application	£308	£318
3.8	Notice of intention to appoint administrator	£55	£57
5.3	Issue of default costs certificate – Civil	£78	£80
5.4	Appeal (detailed assessment proceedings) – Civil	£274	£283
5.5	Request/application to set aside a default costs certificate	£143	£148
6.1	On the filing of a request for detailed assessment for Court of Protection	£96	£99
6.2	Appeal against a Court of Protection costs assessment decision	£77	£79
6.3	Request to set aside a default Court of Protection costs certificate	£72	£74
7.1	Sealing a writ of control/possession/delivery (High Court)	£78	£80
7.2	Order requiring a judgment debtor or other person to attend court	£65	£67
7.3a	Third party debt order or the appointment of a receiver by way of equitable execution	£131	£135
7.3b	Application for a charging order	£131	£135
7.4	Application for a judgment summons	£131	£135
7.5	Register a judgment or order, or for permission to enforce an arbitration award, or for a certificate or a certified copy of a judgment or order for use abroad	£78	£80
8.1	Issue warrant of control	£91	£94
8.2	Request for attempt of execution of a warrant at new address	£36	£37
8.3	Order requiring judgment debtor to attend court	£65	£67
8.4a	Application for a third party debt order	£131	£135
8.4b	Application for a charging order	£131	£135
8.5	Application for a judgment summons	£131	£135
8.6	Issue of a warrant of possession/warrant of delivery	£143	£148
8.7	Application for an attachment of earnings order – Civil	£131	£135
8.9	Application for enforcement of an award of a sum of money or any other decision made by any court, tribunal, body or person	£52	£54
8A.1	Service by a bailiff of an order to attend County Court for questioning	£131	£135
10.1	Bills of sale	£33	£34
10.4	Appointment of a High Court judge as arbitrator or umpire	£671	£692
10.5	Hearing before a High Court judge (per day or part day) as arbitrator or umpire	£671	£692
11.1	On the issue of a warrant for the arrest of a ship or goods	£20	£21
13.1a	Filing an appellant’s/respondent’s notice in the Court of Appeal where permission to appeal/extension of time is applied for	£626	£646
13.1b	Filing an appellant’s/respondent’s notice in the Court of Appeal where permission to appeal is not required or has been granted	£1,421	£1,466
13.1c	Court of Appeal – Appellant/respondent filing an appeal questionnaire	£1,421	£1,466
13.2	Court of Appeal – On filing a respondent’s notice	£569	£587
13.3	Court of Appeal – On filing an application notice	£626	£646

Magistrates’ Court Fees Order 2008

SI Reference ID	Description	Current	New
1.1	Application for a justice of the peace to perform function not on court premises	£28	£29
2.1	Application to state a case for the opinion of the High Court	£151	£156
2.2	Appeal (deduction from earnings order)	£21	£22
2.3	Appeal – proceedings under Schedule 5, Licensing Act 2003	£68	£70
2.4	Appeal (no other fee specified)	£68	£70
3.2	Request for a certificate of satisfaction	£18	£19
3.3	Request for a certified copy of a memorandum of conviction	£20	£15
3.4	Request for certificate/certified document (no fee specified)	£22	£23
4.2	Application for Child Support Liability Order	£25	£14
6.1	Request for licence/consent/authority (no other fee specified)	£30	£31
6.2	Application for renewal/variation of an existing licence	£30	£31
6.3	Application for the revocation of licence (no other fee specified)	£30	£31
7.2	For every oath (etc) where no other fee is specified	£30	£31
8.1	Commencing proceedings where no other fee is specified	£249	£284
8.2a	Application for leave/permission to commence proceedings (no other fee specified)	£138	£142
8.2b	Commencing proceedings where leave/permission has been granted	£138	£142
8.3	Contested hearing	£567	£644
9.2	Application for any other warrant (no other fee specified)	£89	£92
10.1	Application for a warrant of commitment (council tax proceedings)	£264	£212
10.2	Application for a warrant of commitment (Child Support Act 1991)	£45	£46

Family Proceedings Fees Order 2008

SI Reference ID	Description	Current	New
1.1	Originating proceedings where no other fee is specified	£270	£279
1.2	Application for a divorce, nullity or civil partnership dissolution	£593	£612
1.3	Application for matrimonial or civil partnership order	£402	£415
1.5	Amendment of application for matrimonial/civil partnership order	£95	£59
1.6	Answer to application for matrimonial/civil partnership order	£245	£234
1.7	On application for an order of assessment of costs	£55	£57
1.8	Application for parental order	£255	£263
2.1a	Parental responsibility (section 4(1)(c) or (3), 4A(1)(b) or(3) of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1b	Parental responsibility (section 4ZA(1)(c) or (6) of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1c	Guardians (section 5(1) or 6(7) of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1d	Section 8 orders (section 10(1) or (2) of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1e	Enforcement orders (section 11J(2) of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1f	Compensation for financial loss (section 11O(2) of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1g	Change of child’s surname or removal from jurisdiction while residence order in force (section 13(1) of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1h	Special guardianship orders (section 14A(3) or (6)(a), 14C(3) or 14D(1) of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1i	Secure accommodation order (section 25 of the Children Act 1989) – England	£255	£263
2.1ia	Secure accommodation order (section 25 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014)	£255	£263
2.1j	Change of child’s surname or removal from jurisdiction while care order in force (section 33(7) of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1k	Contact with child in care (section 34(2), (3), (4) or (9) of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1l	Education supervision order (section 36(1) of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1m	Variation or discharge etc of care and supervision orders (section 39 of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1n	Child assessment order (section 43(1) of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1o	Emergency protection orders (sections 44, 45 and 46 of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1p	Warrant to assist person exercising powers under emergency protection order (section 48 of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1q	Recovery order (section 50 of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1s	Warrant to assist person exercising powers to search for children or inspect premises (section 102 of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1t	Applications in respect of enforcement orders (under Schedule A1 of the Children Act 1989)	£112	£116
2.1u	Amendment of enforcement order by reason of change of address (under Schedule A1 of the Children Act 1989)	£77	£79
2.1v	Financial provision for children (paragraph 1(1) or (4), 2(1) or (5), 5(6), 6(5), (7) or (8), 8(2), 10(2), 11 or 14(1) of Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1w	Approval of court for child in care of local authority to live abroad (paragraph 19(1) of Schedule 2 of the Children Act 1989) – England	£255	£263
2.1wa	Approval of court for child in care of local authority to live abroad (Wales)	£255	£263
2.1x	Extension of supervision order (paragraph 6 of Schedule 3 of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1y	Extension or discharge of education supervision order (paragraph 15(2) or 17(1) of Schedule 3 of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.1z	Appeals concerning foster parents (paragraph 8(1) of Schedule 8 of the Children Act 1989)	£255	£263
2.2	Care and supervision order (Section 31 of the Children Act 1989)	£2,437	£2,515
2.3	Appeal relating to Children Act fees 2.1(a) to 2.1(s) (v) to (y) and 2.2)	£237	£245
2.4	Appeal against a contribution order – England	£237	£245
2.5	Appeal against a contribution order – Wales	£237	£245
2.6(a)	Section 72 Cancellation, variation or removal or imposition of condition of registration of child minder or day carer (England)	£255	£263
2.6(b)	Section 34 Cancellation of registration of child minder or day carer (Wales)	£255	£263
2.7	Commencing child mind or day carer appeal for application (England or Wales)	£237	£245
3.1	Application/permission to apply for adoption	£201	£207
3.2	Application for a placement order (under Section 22 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002)	£539	£556
3.3	Application to the High Court with regards to inherent jurisdiction with respect to children	£201	£207
4.1	On an application for a warning notice to be attached to a contact order	£54	£56
5.1	Application (without notice)	£58	£60
5.2	Application for decree nisi, conditional order, separation order (no fee if undefended)	£59	£61
5.3	Application (on notice) (unless otherwise listed)	£184	£190
5.4	Application for a financial order (other than consent order)	£303	£313
6.1	Filing an appeal notice from a district judge, one or more lay justices, a justices’ clerk or an assistant to a justices’ clerk	£138	£142
7.2	Search of central index of parental responsibility agreements	£45	£17
9.2(d)	On filing a request for detailed assessment where fee 9.1 does not apply	£1,345	£1,365
9.3	Issue of default costs certificate	£65	£18
9.4	Appeal (detailed assessment proceedings) – Family	£231	£238
9.5	Request/application to set aside a default costs certificate	£121	£125
10.2	Application for a maintenance order to be registered under the Maintenance Orders 1950 or 1958 Act	£55	£57
11.1	Application for order for financial provision	£237	£245
12.1	Application to question a judgment debtor or other person	£59	£61
12.2	Application for a third party debt order/appointment of a receiver	£85	£88
12.3	Application for a charging order	£42	£43
12.4	Application for a judgment summons	£80	£83
12.5	Application for an attachment of earnings order – Family	£37	£38
13.1	Application for enforcement of a judgment or order – warrant of control against goods	£110	£114
13.2	On a request for further attempt at execution of a warrant at a new address where the warrant has been returned to the court not executed	£30	£6
13.3	Issue for a warrant of possession or a warrant of delivery	£131	£135
14.1	Sealing a writ of execution/possession/delivery	£66	£68
14.2	On a request or application to register a judgment or order; or for permission to enforce an arbitration award; or for a certified copy of a judgment or order for use abroad	£66	£68
15.1	Request for service by a bailiff of document (see order for exceptions)	£45	£46

Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) Fees Order 2009

SI Reference ID	Description	Current	New
1	Permission to appeal r21	£242	£250
2	Notice of reference r28 / appeal r24	£303	£313
3	Absent owner application (Compulsory Purchase Act 1965)	£550	£624
4	Restrictive covenant application r32 re s84 Law of Property Act 1925	£968	£999
5a	Rights of light application r41 to s2 Rights of Light Act 1959 – Definitive certificate	£1,320	£775
5b	Rights of light application r41 to s2 Rights of Light Act 1959 – Temporary & Definitive certificate	£1,650	£761
6	Interlocutory application	£121	£125
11a	Hearing as to entitlement – s84 Law of Property Act 1925 – discharge/modify restrictive covenant	£605	£624
11b	Order without hearing (r46) – s84 Law of Property Act 1925 – discharge/modify restrictive covenant	£275	£166
11c	Substantive hearing of originating application – s84 Law of Property Act 1925 – discharge/modify restrictive covenant	£1,210	£1,249
11d	Engrossing Minutes of Order – s84 Law of Property Act 1925 – discharge/modify restrictive covenant	£220	£41
12	Hearing or preliminary hearing of reference/appeal (no amount awarded)	£605	£624

Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) (Judicial Review) (England and Wales) Fees Order 2011

SI Reference ID	Description	Current	New
1.1	Permission to apply for Judicial Review	£169	£174
1.1a	Judicial Review – Oral renewal	£424	£438
1.2a	Proceed with Judicial Review – permission granted at oral hearing	£385	£436
1.2b	Proceeding with Judicial Review after permission granted	£847	£874
1.3	Permission for Judicial Review – permission to proceed where proceedings started otherwise than by application for permission	£169	£174
2.1	Judicial Review General Application – On notice (where no other fee is specified)	£281	£290
2.2	Judicial Review General Application – By consent or without notice (where no other fee is specified)	£110	£114
2.3	Judicial Review – Application for a summons or order for a witness to attend the Tribunal	£55	£57

Non-Contentious Probate Fees Order 2004

SI Reference ID	Description	Current	New
3.1	Duplicate/second grant for same deceased person	£20	£21
6	Deposit of wills	£22	£23
7	Inspection of will/other document retained by the registry	£20	£23
11	Settling documents	£4	£5

First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Fees Order 2013

SI Reference ID	Description	Current	New
1.1	Commence proceedings (application or appeal) in a leasehold or residential property case, where no other fees applies	£110	£114
1.2	File proceedings for approval of the exercise of a power of entry	£110	£114
1.3	Mobile homes application (pitch fee other than Local Authority sites)	£22	£23
1.4	Mobile Homes – Application for determination to take into account cost of owner improvements – para 1.4	£22	£23
1.5	Mobile Homes – Determination of Local Authority pitch fee	£22	£23
1.6	Mobile Homes – Application for determination to take into account cost of owner improvements – para 1.6	£22	£23
2.1	Notice of hearing date for 1.1 or 1.2 application – only one payable if applications joined together	£220	£227

First-tier Tribunal (Gambling) Fees Order 2010

SI Reference ID	Description	Current	New
1.1*	Appeal s141 Gambling Act 2005 – casino operating licence s65(2)(a)	£14,000	£4,521
1.3*	Appeal s141 Gambling Act 2005 – general betting operating licence s65(2)(c)	£10,000	£4,521
1.4*	Appeal s141 Gambling Act 2005 – pool betting operating licence s65(2)(d)	£10,000	£4,521
1.5*	Appeal s141 Gambling Act 2005 – better intermediary operating licence s65(2)(e)	£10,000	£4,521
1.10*	Appeal s141 Gambling Act 2005 – lottery operating licence s65(2)(j)	£9,400	£4,521
1.11	Appeal s141 Gambling Act 2005 – personal management office licence s127	£1,760	£1,816
1.12	Appeal s141 Gambling Act 2005 – personal operational function licence s127 of that Act	£880	£908
2	Appeal s337(1) Gambling Act 2005 – order to void a bet s336(1)	£9,400	£4,521

Court of Protection Fees Order 2007

SI Reference ID	Description	Current	New
4	Application fee (Article 4)	£408	£421
5	Appeal fee (Article 5)	£257	£265
6	Hearing fee (Article 6)	£494	£259

Gender Recognition (Application Fees) Order 2006

SI Reference ID	Description	Current	New
2	Application for a Gender Recognition Certificate	£5	£6

*Please note that fees 1.1 – 1.10 in the First-tier Tribunal (Gambling) Fees Order 2010 will all be consolidated under one fee at £4,521 from 1st April.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 24 February 2025.

A new law to help the UK’s legal services sector maintain pole position and which will deliver millions more to grow the economy and help implement our Plan for Change.

The Arbitration Act, which received Royal Assent today (Monday 24 February), will help attract even more businesses from around the world to invest in the UK. It will re-enforce Britain’s position as the best place to resolve disputes without having to go to court.

This arbitration process saves companies significant costs in legal fees by providing a quicker alternative to court and reducing acrimony between the parties. Every year there are at least 5,000 domestic and international arbitrations in England and Wales – contributing at least £2.5 billion to the UK economy annually in fees alone.

Modernising arbitration law will ensure the UK remains the global destination of choice for the legal sector, outstripping competitors such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Paris. This will help generate greater employment in the sector to bring even more investment into the UK.

Minister for Courts and Legal Services, Sarah Sackman KC MP, said:

The UK’s legal sector contributes billions to the economy and employs hundreds of thousands across the country.

Companies from across the world look to the UK for our legal services and dispute resolution. This new Act ensures that arbitration law keeps this country ahead of the rest and supports economic growth as part of this government’s Plan for Change.

Today’s new law makes arbitration fairer and more efficient by simplifying procedures to reduce costs and protecting arbitrators from unreasonable lawsuits. It also strengthens the courts’ powers to support emergency arbitration so time-sensitive decisions can be made more easily.

International arbitration is a major and growing area of activity. Industry estimates suggest the sector grew by around 26% between 2016 and 2020, and in the past 10 years, UK exports of legal services have risen by more than 80%.

Cristen Bauer, Head of Policy, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, said:

As the leading professional body globally for dispute resolvers, we are delighted to see the Arbitration Act reach Royal Assent. We worked closely with the UK Law Commission and other officials during the review of the Arbitration Act 1996, and were pleased that the majority of our recommendations were included in the final report, and that all of the review’s recommendations were adopted.

The Arbitration Act will strengthen London’s position as an arbitration seat, and continue to set a high standard internationally. We look forward to seeing the positive impact of the Arbitration Act 2025 for many years ahead.

This Act supports economic growth in a multi-billion-pound sector – the UK is the largest legal market in Europe and is second only to the US globally.

The new laws are the latest step in the government’s work to support the sector to grow. This includes the GREAT Legal Services campaign which was launched in 2017 to promote the strength of English and Welsh Law, the UK’s world-renowned independent judiciary, and our legal expertise to the global market.

The latest figures from 2022 show that the UK’s legal sector generated £34 billion. This will be enhanced by key agreements in recent months including with Japan, Greece and Malaysia to allow UK lawyers to practise abroad.

The government asked the Law Commission to review the law to ensure the UK remains ahead of the curve when it comes to dispute resolution. They consulted extensively before making recommendations which have been accepted in full.

Once in force, the Arbitration Act will:

• Clarify which law underpins individual arbitration agreements thereby improving legal certainty and speeding up arbitrations.
• Empower arbitrators to speed-up decisions on issues that have no real prospect of success to make arbitration more efficient.
• Introduce a duty on arbitrators to tell parties any circumstances which could cast reasonable doubt on their impartiality in deciding an outcome of a dispute.
• Empower the court to better support arbitration through orders supporting the actions of emergency arbitrators to enhance their effectiveness, and orders against third parties (those not involved in the proceedings) to for example preserve evidence or take witness evidence.
• Extend arbitrator immunity against liability for resignations and the costs of the application to court for their removal, to support arbitrators to make impartial decisions.
• Simplify court procedures related to arbitration to increase clarity as well as reduce delays and costs for parties.

The new law will be commenced through regulations as soon as practicable.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 18 February 2025.

His Majesty The King, on the advice of the Lord Chancellor, has approved the appointment of a new Commissioner to the Judicial Appointments Commission.

His Majesty The King has approved the appointment of Upper Tribunal Judge Clive Lane as a Senior Judicial Commissioner of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) for three years commencing 1 May 2025.

The JAC is an independent body that selects candidates for judicial office in courts and tribunals in England and Wales, and for some tribunals with a UK-wide jurisdiction.

JAC Commissioners are appointed, under Schedule 12(1) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, by His Majesty The King on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor.

The appointment of Upper Tribunal Judge Clive Lane was made in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Judicial Appointment Commission Regulations 2013.

Biography

Upper Tribunal Judge Clive Lane was admitted as a solicitor in 1985 and was in private practice until 2001. He was a Legal Chair of the Appeals Service (now Social Entitlement Chamber) from 1999 until 2007. He was appointed a Deputy District Judge (Civil) in 2001. He served as an Immigration Judge from 2001 until 2009 when he was appointed a Judge of the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber).

Since 2021, he has been authorised to sit as a Judge of the High Court (Family Division). In 2024, he was appointed a Justice of the Court of Appeal of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 14 February 2025.

Families, individuals, and charities will receive funds left to them in wills twice as quickly as they did last year, with probate applications now being granted in less than half the time.

The data published yesterday shows that HMCTS has slashed average wait times in December 2024 to just over four weeks. This compares to twelve weeks at the end of 2023 and over eight weeks at the end of June 2024. The improvement is a result of decisive Government action to reduce the backlog of cases which built up because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Around 80 per cent of grant applications are now completed online, with digital applications taking on average just over two weeks to complete – improving support for those who need it and easing the burden on people who are navigating what is often a challenging time. For those who complete the application online and submit their documents without any issues probate is granted in less than a week on average.

Minister for Courts and Legal Services, Sarah Sackman KC MP, said:

We know that handling probate can be tough for families at a difficult period in their lives. That is why so we’ve worked hard to reduce delays and make the process easier.

By cutting wait times and going digital, we’re ensuring people receive the support they need quickly at what can be a challenging time.

We’re getting public services back on their feet again as part of this Government’s Plan for Change.

The change comes after action was taken to recruit extra staff who have been trained to handle applications quickly and ensure fair and efficient processing, preventing delays.

In 2024, the average number of monthly grants issued was 27,400, marking a 20 per cent increase compared to the previous year. As a result, the number of outstanding cases is at its lowest point since early 2023 when data was first published.

The probate system has achieved a remarkable turnaround, reducing its backlog by over 50,000 cases since August 2023 and ensuring faster estate settlements for families.

Charities also benefit from a more efficient probate system because they now have quicker access to funds which have been entrusted to them – easing financial pressure on the third sector.

Even paper applications, which historically take longer to process than the digital system, have seen significant improvements in timeliness with waiting times reducing from just over 22 weeks to under 15 weeks.

James Stebbings, Chair of the Institute of Legacy Management, said:

We are delighted to see that HMCTS have reduced probate application processing times to where they were 5 years ago.

Each year the public leave charities £4bn of gifts in their wills and the relief in the charity sector that this income is flowing again is huge.

On behalf of the charity sector and all who benefit from it we would like to say a huge thank you.

Alex McDowell, Vice Chair of Remember A Charity and Director of Fundraising at the Duke of Edinburgh Award, said:

With more and more people across the UK choosing to support good causes through their Wills each year, an efficient and effective probate service is vital for sustaining charitable services and charities’ financial planning.

It ensures charitable gifts in wills can be put to good use swiftly, in line with supporters’ wishes.

We are hugely grateful to HMCTS for the improvements they have made and their ongoing engagement with the charity sector.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 12 February 2025.

Probation staff will focus more of their time on prolific offenders and monitoring the most dangerous people.

Speaking at a probation office in London (12 February), Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood set out her vision for the future of a Probation Service that protects the public, reduces reoffending and makes our streets safer as part of the Government’s plan for change.

To support this work, the Justice Secretary announced that 1,300 new probation officers will be recruited by March 2026. These new hires are in addition to the 1,000 officers to be recruited by this March, previously announced by Shabana Mahmood when she took office in July last year.

In her speech, the Justice Secretary argued that probation officers have been asked to do too much for too long. They have been burdened with high workloads and a one size fits all approach to managing offenders, regardless of the risk that they present to the public. This has meant officers have been unable to pay enough attention to those offenders who pose the greatest risk to society. This has led, in some cases, to missed warning signs where offenders have gone on to commit serious further offences, including murder.

With all probation units inspected in 2024 marked as “inadequate” or “requires improvement”, changes will now be made to help staff refocus their efforts where they have the greatest impact – with the offenders who need the most attention.

The Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood said:

The Probation Service must focus more time with offenders who are a danger to the public, and the prolific offenders whose repeat offending make life a misery for so many.

That means for low-risk offenders, we need to change our approach too. We need to tackle the root causes of their reoffending, and end a one-size-fits-all approach that isn’t working.

The first job of the state is to keep its people safe.  Today, as part of our Plan for Change, I have set out changes to the probation service to protect the public and make our streets safer.

Greater time with higher risk offenders will be made possible by changing probation’s approach to the management of low risk offenders.  Probation staff will now intervene earlier with these offenders, to understand the support they require and refer them to the services that will tackle the root causes of their reoffending.

These interventions are crucial as the latest data shows that the reoffending rate for those without stable accommodation is double those who are homeless, offenders employed six weeks after leaving prison had a reoffending rate around half of those out of work, and reoffending amongst those who complete drug treatment are 19 percentage points lower. This will help tackle a pressing issue the Criminal Justice System faces, with around 80 percent% of offenders now reoffenders.

The Chief Inspector of Probation, Martin Jones said:

The Probation Service does a vital job; however, our independent inspections highlight the serious challenges it faces- too few staff, with too little experience, managing too many cases to succeed.

These plans, which rightly focus on increasing probation resources and prioritising the most serious cases, are a positive step towards increasing impact on reoffending and better protecting the public.

To reduce the administrative burden resting on probation officers’ shoulders, the Justice Secretary will also introduce new technology including:

• A digital tool that will put all the information a probation officer might need to know about an offender into one place.
• Trialling a new system for risk assessing offenders, to make it more straightforward for probation officers to make robust decisions.
• Exploring the potential of AI to be used to automatically record and transcribe supervision conversations by taking notes in real time, which will allow probation staff to focus on building relationships while removing the need to write up notes into a computer afterwards.

In her speech, the Justice Secretary also exposed one of the inherited workload challenges faced by the probation service, which the Government will now address. Accredited Programmes are rehabilitative courses handed down by the courts to offenders to address the causes of their criminality.

Over the three years to April 2024, the probation service did not deliver these courses to nearly 13,000 offenders before their sentence expired. To address this issue, the Probation Service must now put in place a process of prioritisation so they will be delivered to offenders at the greatest risk of reoffending or causing serious harm. For those who will now not complete an accredited programme, they remain under the supervision of a probation officer. All the other requirements they face will remain in place.

Further information:

• Today’s speech will be published on gov.uk
• Guidance will be issued to staff in the coming weeks to deliver these crucial changes that will ultimately help to cut crime and keep the public safe.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 5 February 2025.

Victims of child sexual abuse will be better supported with new reforms that prioritise their rights.

The Government is delivering on recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) to make it easier for victims to gain an apology and to pursue claims in the civil court.

The three-year time limit for victims to bring personal injury claims will be removed. So will the burden of proof that currently rests on victims’ shoulders, who must prove it is possible to hold a fair trial for one to go ahead. Now, that burden is lifted off victims and placed on defendants, who must show a fair trial cannot proceed if they intend to block one. This will enable cases to be heard more easily, and protect victims from reliving their trauma.

The Law of the Apologies will also be amended to encourage employers to apologise to people wronged by their employees, where currently they fear doing so because of institutional liability, meaning that victims are likelier to receive apologies from schools, care facilities or hospitals for abuse carried out by an individual at these institutions.

The Government has listened to victims, survivors and experts through two consultations – and they have said they want action.

Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood said:

Child sexual abuse causes lifelong trauma and these important changes, recommended by Professor Jay, are long overdue.

These measures help survivors pursue their path to justice. They build on the Government’s mission of halving violence against women and girls and support our Plan for Change.

Currently civil child sexual abuse claims must be brought within three years of turning 18, unless the victim can prove a fair trial can proceed despite the time lapse. But as the IICSA heard, a “significant number” of claims are being rejected because it can take “decades for survivors to feel able to discuss their sexual abuse”.

As a direct result of today’s reforms, all cases brought will proceed unless the defendant proves that a fair hearing cannot take place, for example due to lack of evidence.

IICSA also heard that in many child sexual abuse cases, an apology by an institution was desired but never delivered, blocking victims’ path to closure.

Often organisations are reluctant to apologise because of concerns it may be interpreted by individuals such as insurers, as an admission of fault. The Government will clarify, as per the IICSA recommendation, that apologies could and should be offered by employers for the actions of current or former employees.

Justice Minister Sarah Sackman KC said:

The courts must work for the public they serve – and we recognise that victims and survivors need time to process their trauma.

By changing the law, it will now be possible for victims to come forward, and seek justice, when they feel ready to do so.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse heard the powerful testimonies of more than 7,000 victims and made 20 final recommendations.

The measures announced today build on action already taken across government to respond to horrific child sexual abuse crimes, including providing £10 million to drive change at a local level to protect children across the country from grooming gangs, and a suite of legislative measures to tackle online child sexual abuse, including two world leading measures on AI-generated child sexual abuse material. These measures form part of our commitment – underscored by our Plan for Change – to halve violence against women and girls this decade.

Legislation will also be brought forward to make grooming an aggravating factor in the sentencing of child sexual offences, and introduce a new Mandatory Reporting duty, in the Crime and Policing Bill to be put before Parliament this Spring. A new offence will also be created so anyone covering up child sexual abuse will face criminal sanctions.

Changes to the Law of Apologies and Limitation Law, follow two Government consultations in 2024.

Gabrielle Shaw, Chief Executive of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), said:

This is a watershed moment for survivors of child sexual abuse. These reforms recognise the long-term impact of trauma and ensure survivors are not excluded from seeking redress simply because of the time taken to come forward.

NAPAC also welcomes greater clarity on apologies. A sincere apology, when freely given and supported by meaningful action, is invaluable – especially as part of wider efforts to ensure accountability and prevent future harm.

These important changes reflect the growing understanding of what survivors need to access justice and healing, and we welcome the government’s commitment to making them a reality.

Civil claims are made where someone feels that they have suffered a harm or a wrong which another person or organisation is accountable for. It is made by issuing a claim form at the relevant court (such as the County Court), and serving it on the defendant.

Further information:

• The apologies legislation would not apply to all types of civil litigation or regulatory disputes, including public inquiries or defamation cases.
• The apologies legislation will not be retrospective. The changes for both reforms require primary legislation and will be implemented in due course.
• To read the full apologies consultation response visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforming-the-law-of-apologies-in-civil-proceedings
• As recommended by the IICSA, removal of the three-year limitation period will apply to all civil child sexual abuse claims brought by victims and survivors (though not to claims brought on behalf of victims and survivors` estates) except where claims have been dismissed by a court or settled by agreement.
• To read the full limitation consultation response visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/limitation-law-in-child-sexual-abuse-cases

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 3 February 2025.

Families, children and victims of domestic abuse will be spared the trauma of going to court thanks to a multi-million-pound expansion of an innovative pilot across Wales and West Yorkshire.

The £12.5 million funding boost comes as new figures published today (3 February) show the Pathfinder scheme is resolving cases faster, with family court backlogs reduced by half in pilot areas.

The Pathfinder pilot works by bringing together local authorities, police and support services to gather and share information on cases as early as possible.

This saves children and families from having to go through unnecessary and potentially hostile hearings. As part of delivering on its Plan for Change and mission to halve violence against women and girls, the scheme also provides extra support to victims of domestic abuse.

New figures published today show the approach is working, with cases being resolved 11 weeks quicker, and the backlog of cases reducing by 50 per cent across both Dorset and North Wales.

Lord Ponsonby, the Minister for Family Justice, said:

For too long families have been pitted against each other in the court room, or abusers have hijacked proceedings to continue campaigns of cruelty. Children and vulnerable people bear the brunt of this, and it must stop.

Pathfinder has been welcomed as a less adversarial approach, and early evidence shows it’s working. This is another important step to achieving our promise of halving violence against women and girls.

A primary focus of the courts is improving information sharing between agencies to allow for more informed decision making, fewer bureaucratic hearings, less time in court and quicker resolution to cases. The courts can also offer specialist support to victims of domestic abuse through Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs).

To further help separating families resolve conflict, the Government’s family mediation vouchers scheme will also be extended to March 2026.

The programme, which provides £500 to help couples settle issues before they get to court, has provided helped over 37,700 families to date, with early analysis showing 70 per cent of recipients reach a whole or partial agreement thanks to mediation.

Since the voucher scheme was introduced in April 2021, the number of applications being made to court has dropped – avoiding thousands of these cases a year, which could save taxpayers millions of pounds.

There were 50,807 private law applications in 2023, compared to 55,711 in 2020.

It also saves families, especially children, from a potentially length and damaging court process.

Domestic Abuse Commissioner Nicole Jacobs said:

Improving the Family Court is a key priority for my office. It is clear to me that Pathfinder Courts recognize the impact of domestic abuse and consider children’s needs much earlier than in the traditional Family Court.

I believe this approach is essential to ensuring the protection of victims in the family justice system. I welcome Government’s commitment to this pilot and look forward to seeing its influence on all Family Courts.

The family mediation voucher scheme was introduced in 2021 as a pilot to help relieve backlogs in the family court caused by the pandemic.

Further information

• The Pathfinder pilot launched in Dorset and North Wales in February 2022, it expanded to South East Wales in April 2024, and Birmingham in May 2024.
• The expansion is set to launch in Mid and West Wales on 3 March, and in West Yorkshire on 3 June.
• In 2020 The Harm Panel, comprised of experts on the family justice system, was convened to draw together evidence and published a report on private law children cases. It recommended reform to the Child Arrangements Programme (CAP), which is the process that the family court follows when settling disputes between separating parties involving children.
• The Pathfinder pilot was designed in response to this recommendation to achieve the reform of private law by trialling a more investigative approach which better supports victims of domestic abuse and other harms.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 3 February 2025.

Victims of rape and sexual abuse are being encouraged to seek vital support through a new Government campaign.

Over one million adults a year experience sexual violence, yet many are not aware of the free help available through the 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support line.

A dedicated awareness campaign, launching today, is designed to reach the survivors still suffering in silence. This contributes to the Government’s Safer Streets Mission to halve violence against women and girls over the next 10 years. The campaign launch coincides with Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week.

Funded by the Ministry of Justice and delivered by Rape Crisis England & Wales, the line handled over 100,000 calls and webchats in its second year, providing victims aged 16 and over with a free, confidential, emotional support and listening service.

Minister of State for Courts and Legal Services, Sarah Sackman, said:

Talking about sexual assault isn’t easy, but no one should suffer in silence.

Sexual violence – in all forms – is a traumatic crime. It takes courage to seek help, and the 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line is there to support people with that essential first step.

If you’re in need of help today, please get in touch to get the support you deserve.

The Support Line is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to all survivors. It is accessible through phone and webchat, with additional online resources to help friends and family who are supporting survivors to rebuild their lives.

The Government is determined to reach more victims of sexual violence and encourage them to reach out for support, regardless of gender or background.

Ciara Bergman, CEO, Rape Crisis England & Wales, said:

The 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line provides free and specialist support to anyone aged 16+ in England and Wales who has experienced something sexual that they didn’t want, didn’t consent to or are feeling confused about – no matter when or where it happened.

We’re delighted to support the Ministry of Justice’s campaign to raise awareness of the Support Line, ensuring more survivors have access to this vital service.

Further Information

• The 24/7 Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Line campaign looks to raise awareness of the support available to victims of sexual violence and encourage them to reach out for support. The campaign wants victims to understand that, no matter what happened: you deserve support, it wasn’t your fault, we’ll listen to you, and we’ll believe you. The campaign directs victims to call 0808 500 2222 or visit 247sexualabusesupport.org.uk to chat online or find out more. If you want to support the campaign, or gain access to campaign materials, please email 247Campaign@justice.gov.uk.
• This builds on the work of the Government to tackle perpetrators and address the root causes of abuse and violence. Ministers have already announced the launch of the Domestic Abuse Protection Orders pilot, outlined plans to introduce independent legal advisers for adult rape victims, and set out a new drive to inform all victims of crime of their rights via the Victims’ Code.
• The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) provides the best measure of victimisation and estimated that 2.3% of adults (3.3% women and 1.2% men) aged 16 years and over were victims of sexual assault (including attempts) in the year ending March 2022 survey; this equates to an estimated 1.1 million adults (798,000 women and 275,000 men).
• Data provided by Rape Crisis England and Wales covers calls and webchats in the year December 2023 – December 2024.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 20 January 2025.

Young adults who fall victim to crime will be better supported through a new Government campaign.

The Victims’ Code sets out in clear and simple language what victims can expect from the criminal justice system, including the level of support they are entitled to.

Research shows that while young adults are more likely to be victims of violent crime, too many are unaware of their rights – with just one in five victims aware of the Victims’ Code.

The new push launched today will bolster confidence in the criminal justice system and the level of support victims can expect to receive – underpinning the Government’s Plan for Change to create safer streets.

Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones, said:

Seeking the support of the law can be daunting if you’re a victim of crime. It is vital that we ensure victims understand their rights and what they can expect from the criminal justice system.

Through this campaign, we will reach every corner of England and Wales so that everyone knows they can turn to the Victims’ Code, whatever the crime and whoever they are.

Organisations that work with victims, like the Police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), are responsible for ensuring that victims’ rights are upheld.

Commenting on the campaign, the Victims’ Commissioner, Baroness Newlove, said:

The Victims’ Code explains the rights that everyone is entitled to receive as a victim of crime: respectful treatment, clear information, and access to support.

Yet, awareness of these rights remains low – and that is why this campaign is so important.

Agencies too often fall short in upholding victims’ rights, and that must change. Raising awareness is a crucial step, empowering victims to stand up for themselves and hold agencies accountable.

Today’s news comes ahead of bolstered measures to strengthen the Victims’ Commissioner’s powers to increase accountability for delivery of the Victims’ Code.

The Government will also be consulting on the Victims’ Code in early 2025 in order to further strengthen standards for victims.

Further Information

• The ‘Understand Your Rights’ Victims’ Code campaign raises awareness of the Victims’ Code and highlights that it is there for every victim, whatever the crime. The campaign directs users to understand their rights
• If you want to support the campaign, or gain access to campaign materials, please email VictimsCodeComms@justice.gov.uk
• The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) showed that in year end to March 2024, a higher percentage of younger people were a victim of violence with or without injury, with the highest rate of victimisation among those aged 16 to 24 years where the perpetrator was a stranger (2.2%) or an acquaintance (1.3%). In addition, the 2023 survey showed that the highest prevalence of victimisation by age group was in those aged 16 to 24 years (19.5%), with levels generally falling as age increased