UK court backlog hits record 417,759 as Labour faces reform push

The backlog of criminal cases awaiting trial across England and Wales has reached a new high, mounting to 417,759 cases at the end of June, according to Ministry of Justice figures. In the magistrates’ courts, 361,027 cases were awaiting trial, while Crown Court backlogs stood at 78,329. The total backlog represents an unmistakable surge as judges and prosecutors grapple with years of inherited strain and recent staffing and funding pressures.

Overall, the backlog is up 78,868 from the end of June last year and roughly 79,000 higher than the level at last year’s general election, the MOJ said. The Crown Court backlog has risen by more than 7,400 in the year since Labour took power, underscoring the breadth of delays across the system. The new numbers mean victims face longer waits and trials are increasingly listed far into the future, with the backlog described as a record across both tiers of England and Wales’ criminal justice system.

Justice Secretary David Lammy has attributed the expansion of the backlog to the previous administration, while stressing that the government has since injected record funding into the courts to accelerate justice. 'We inherited a justice system that has let down victims time and time again, and this Government is determined to right that wrong,' Lammy said. He added that, since Labour took office, the administration has steered substantial resources toward court modernization and case-flow improvements, though he cautioned that money alone cannot reverse the trend. 'Today’s statistics show the Crown Court backlog has hit a new record high and it lays bare the unacceptable wait victims face,' he said.

The Leveson review, published earlier this year, proposed a sweeping set of reforms intended to reduce delays by widening the use of non-jury trials in certain categories. A centerpiece would be the creation of a Crown Court Bench Division (CCBD)—a new type of court in which a judge sits with two magistrates, hearing a wide range of criminal trials without juries. The report suggested that such a restructuring could save about 9,000 Crown Court sitting days each year and free up space for more serious matters to be heard in jury trials. The CCBD would retain the same sentencing powers as the Crown Court, according to the recommendations, effectively moving thousands of cases from traditional jury trials to this new format. The Leveson plan did not specify the exact number of cases that would move to the CCBD, but officials have indicated it could be substantial in scale.

Labour has not yet published precise plans for implementing Leveson, and party officials have said details will be set out as reform work progresses. Critics and victims’ groups have warned that the backlog’s scale risks undermining confidence in the justice system, with some high‑profile Crown Court trials being scheduled for 2028 or later as delays extend further.

Context matters: the current backlog compounds the already severe strain seen during the Covid-19 era, when courts were forced to handle a surge of preexisting cases and a squeeze on resources. The new numbers show the system remains far from recovered, with the total backlog having climbed markedly since last year’s general election and well above pre-pandemic levels. Observers will be watching whether Leveson’s reforms, coupled with sustained funding, can translate into faster trials and swifter justice for victims across England and Wales.