The Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales
The Victims’ Commissioner wants to see the Courts and Tribunals Bill deliver meaningful improvements for victims by:
- Effectively tackling the Crown Court backlog, so victims can access timely justice and are not left facing years of prolonged uncertainty.
- Improving victims’ experiences of the court process, ensuring that they can access the measures they need to give their best evidence, that these work effectively in practice, and that proceedings are fair and trauma-informed.
- Strengthening accountability and oversight of courts, so inefficiencies are identified and addressed swiftly to improve timeliness, and victims’ experiences are a core measure of court performance and effectiveness.
For the Commissioner, the Bill should ultimately be judged on whether the measures ensure victims can access justice within a reasonable timeframe, through a process that supports their participation and confidence, without further trauma or delay.
Significant upcoming and past dates:
- Second Reading in the House of Lords takes place on Tuesday 27 October 2026.
Information on the Parliamentary stages of the Courts and Tribunals Bill can be found on Parliament.uk.
For victims, the stakes could not be higher.
The Crown Court backlog stands at a record 81,000 cases, with some trials now listed as far ahead as 2030. Projections suggest the backlog could reach 200,000 by 2035 without intervention.
Behind these figures are thousands of victims and bereaved families bearing the human cost of delay.
For victims, these lengthy, sometimes years-long delays prolong uncertainty, compound their trauma, impede recovery, and can leave them fearing for their safety for longer. Navigating the justice process has become an endurance test, with victims expected to carry the impact of trauma for years while awaiting trial.
Delays also undermine the quality of the evidence itself. Over time, memory can fade, the quality of evidence can deteriorate, and witnesses may disengage.
The court backlog cannot be viewed in isolation from wider pressures across the criminal justice system. Delays increase pressure on the prison population, with around 20% of prisoners held on remand, and leave some defendants on bail in the community for longer while awaiting trial. This can prolong risks to victims and the wider public, particularly when breaches of bail conditions intend to protect victims are repeated without effective enforcement or consequence.
The Victims’ Commissioner recommends the following measures to support the reduction of delays and improve victims’ experiences:
- Reinstate an independent Courts Inspectorate to provide robust oversight of Crown Court and Magistrates’ Court performance, identify systemic inefficiencies, and assess how effectively courts deliver for victims.
- Introduce automatic entitlement to ‘standard’ special measures for eligible victims to remove unnecessary barriers, reduce administrative burdens, and provide greater certainty that appropriate support will be in place ahead of trial.
- Extend CPS powers to discontinue cases in the Crown Court up until trial to improve efficiency, avoid unnecessary hearings, and bring Crown Court procedures in to line with those in the Magistrates’ Court.
Further information on the Victims’ Commissioner’s proposed amendments can be found in the Commissioner’s briefing documents.
View and download the Victims’ Commissioner’s briefing papers:
Official responses to policy consultations.
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Published on October 4, 2026
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