Newly released figures reveal that only a mere 135 cases have been allocated to the intermediate track by June this year, amidst growing pressures on the civil court system in the United Kingdom.
The Ministry of Justice’s quarterly civil justice statistics indicate a concerning scenario where delays in various court tracks have reached near-record levels. Despite a slight 1% decrease in county court claims from April to June 2024 to 414,000, there has been a notable 13% increase in mortgage and landlord possession claims, totalling 30,000. Additionally, damages claims rose by 5% to 23,000, driven primarily by an 18% spike in personal injury cases, amounting to 16,000, compared to the same quarter in 2023.
Personal injury claims saw a general downward trend between the fourth quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2022, stabilising by the end of 2022. The introduction of reforms targeting whiplash claims—many of which are now handled through an online portal—has contributed to this pattern.
The intermediate track, initiated in October 2023 for claims valued between £25,000 and £100,000, has only seen a small number of allocations, totalling 135 claims by the end of June 2024. Meanwhile, the average time from the issue of a small claim to reaching trial is approximately 50.6 weeks, a two-week improvement from the previous year but still indicative of significant delays.
Regional disparities persist, with longer waiting times prevalent in London and the South East. The introduction of mandatory mediation for small claims under £10,000 is expected to further reflect complex cases, potentially contributing to delay statistics.
For multi and fast-track claims, the average wait time to reach trial is 79.3 weeks, slightly longer than in the same period of 2023. However, this is an improvement from the peak delays seen in late 2023.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated delays, highlighting a pressing need for a more efficient legal process. The figures reveal a dramatic 40% surge in judicial review applications from the previous year, marking the highest quarterly figure since 2019. While 160 applications have closed, 17 were deemed ‘totally without merit’.
Matthew Maxwell Scott of the Association of Consumer Support Organisations commented on the need for attention towards civil justice reforms, noting the severe backlog in resolving cases. The spotlight has largely been on criminal justice, overshadowing the critical issues in civil proceedings.
James Maxey from Express Solicitors articulated frustrations regarding prolonged processing times, notably due to inefficiencies within the digital-to-paper transition in courts. He highlighted that the need to reconstitute lost court files further aggravates delays in proceedings. He stated that attempts to contact support centres often result in extended waits with little information provided.
The civil justice system’s ongoing struggles with delays continue to hinder timely legal proceedings, exposing systemic inefficiencies in processing claims. Urgent reforms are needed to address the current backlog and improve overall efficiency.
