Victims’ Commissioner welcomes “long overdue” funding boost but warns investment alone won’t fix broken court system
The Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, Claire Waxman OBE, has welcomed the Government’s announcement of record funding for the courts system, but warned that “unlimited sitting days” must be met with wider structural reform to end the “intolerable” delays facing victims.
The Government confirmed today (24 February) that, from next year, every Crown Court in England and Wales will be funded to operate at maximum capacity, with no limit on sitting days, meaning that if the system has the capacity to hear a case, it will go ahead.
The Government and the judiciary have agreed a £2.785 billion settlement for courts and tribunals for 2026/27, up from £2.538 billion last year.
This includes £287 million for court repairs and digital upgrades to “bring the court system into the 21st century”, alongside long‑term financial commitments through to 2028/29, aiming to provide long-term stability for the justice system.
The announcement comes as the Deputy Prime Minister sets out his vision for a modernised, technology‑enabled justice system, with the Victims’ Commissioner in attendance.
Claire Waxman OBE said the investment marks a “welcome – and long overdue” boost to the criminal courts but warned that increased capacity alone will not fully resolve the severe delays that continue to harm victims.
She highlighted that chronic delays in the Crown Court continue to cause “real and lasting harm” for victims, many of whom are left waiting years for a trial, and that “every empty courtroom is a missed opportunity to reduce the backlog and prevent further trauma for those waiting for their cases to be heard.”
The Victims’ Commissioner also welcomed the commitment to improve the court estate, increase capacity and modernise the system, but stressed that “investment and efficiency measures alone will not fix the systemic issues in our courts” and that “without wider structural reform of our Crown Court, demand will continue to outstrip supply.”
As the Government prepares to expand digital modernisation across the courts, Claire Waxman emphasised the importance of translating the funding into meaningful change, and moving at pace to deliver the timely, fair justice that victims deserve.
Today’s funding announcement is welcome – and long overdue. Unlimited sitting days and significant investment in the court estate are essential steps toward increasing capacity and modernising the system. We now need to ensure the entire court estate is operating at full strength.
But, as Sir Brian Leveson has made clear, investment and efficiency measures alone will not fix the systemic issues in our courts. Without wider structural reform of our Crown Court, demand will continue to outstrip supply.
I look forward to hearing directly from the Deputy Prime Minister about how this funding will translate into meaningful change. We must now move at pace to deliver the timely, fair justice that victims deserve.