A new tribunal centre in London will begin hearing cases from March, as the government attempts to reduce mounting delays across the justice system and improve access to hearings.
The site, set to be the largest dedicated tribunal centre in the UK, will deal with disputes covering employment, social security and child support. Its opening comes as outstanding tribunal cases have climbed beyond 66,000, placing sustained pressure on services and extending waiting times.
Ministers said the expansion would increase capacity and allow more hearings to take place, with the first in-person employment tribunal cases scheduled for early March.
Capacity boost raises questions over staffing levels
The central London facility will house 30 hearing rooms and 40 judicial chambers, with capacity to support up to 60 judges at any one time. It has been designed as a flexible space, allowing different types of hearings to run simultaneously and increasing the overall throughput of cases.
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The Ministry of Justice said the centre formed part of a wider programme to modernise the courts and tribunal estate, backed by £148.5 million in funding across England and Wales. The investment also includes plans to recruit up to 1,000 judges and tribunal members to improve the speed at which cases are processed.
The new building has been designed to be fully accessible and to incorporate updated technology, with the aim of making hearings more efficient and accommodating a higher volume of cases each day.
Sarah Sackman KC, minister for courts and legal services, said the new centre marked a step forward in addressing long-standing issues in the system. “We inherited a justice system in crisis. Backlogs soared, buildings crumbled and people waiting years for a hearing have been left in limbo. Everyday people are paying the price for years of neglect.”
She said the new facility would form part of a wider effort to restore access to justice. “This new centre is a turning point. One of the largest tribunal centres in Europe, right here in London – part of our plan to modernise the estate, recruit more judges and restore access to justice.”
Staffing shortages risk limiting impact of new centre
But questions remain over whether physical expansion alone will be enough to resolve delays, particularly given the scale of demand and ongoing workforce pressures across the system.
Jo Mackie, an employment partner at Michelmores law firm, told HRreview that staffing shortages were already affecting the ability of courts and tribunals to manage caseloads effectively.
“The government has a shortage of judges, magistrates and clerks in the court system across the UK because of cuts to services and increased stress on those that remain and are left to take on the extra burden.”
She said increasing the number of buildings without addressing workforce capacity risked limiting the impact on waiting times.
“The claims have continued while the staff have reduced. Opening another centre without also significantly increasing the numbers of trained professionals who can hear claims, conduct hearings and make judgements is a false economy.”
Employment tribunal delays continue to affect workers, employers
The new centre is expected to play a significant role in handling employment tribunal cases, where delays have become a persistent issue for both employees seeking redress and organisations managing disputes.
Longer waiting times have created uncertainty on both sides, with cases often taking many months to reach a hearing. For employees, this can delay access to outcomes in disputes relating to unfair dismissal, discrimination or pay. For employers, prolonged cases can increase legal costs and extend periods of organisational uncertainty.
Rising demand for employment tribunal hearings has been driven by a combination of factors, including changing workplace dynamics, increased awareness of employment rights and economic pressures that can lead to disputes over redundancy or contractual changes.
The government said the new facility would allow more cases to be heard more quickly by increasing the number of available hearing rooms and improving scheduling flexibility.
Modernisation drive aims to improve access to justice
The opening of the London tribunal centre forms part of a broader effort to modernise the justice system and reduce delays across courts and tribunals.
Alongside investment in buildings, the government is seeking to increase judicial capacity and make better use of technology to streamline processes. The new centre includes updated digital systems and adaptable hearing spaces designed to support different types of proceedings.
Officials said the changes were intended to restore confidence in the system and ensure that individuals could access justice in a timely manner.
But the scale of the current backlog means progress is likely to take time. While additional hearing space may ease some pressure, observers say the overall impact will depend on whether recruitment and retention of judges and tribunal staff can keep pace with demand.
With caseloads continuing to rise and waiting times still a concern, the effectiveness of the new centre will be closely watched by employers, employees and legal professionals alike as the system attempts to recover capacity and reduce delays.
