Overview
- As of June 30, 2026, Ministry of Justice data show 80,829 open Crown Court cases and 380,230 magistrates' court cases, giving a combined backlog of about 461,059.
- A record 23,706 Crown Court files had been waiting at least one year and 7,255 had waited two years or more, with the median open case now 203 days.
- Serious offences make up a growing share of long-wait cases: sexual offences account for about 23% of cases open a year or more, including 5,495 sexual offence cases and 2,563 rape cases, while violence against the person is the single largest category at roughly 30%.
- Progress varies by court: 29 of 68 Crown Courts cut their backlogs between March and June 2026, but several London courts saw the largest numerical rises and Newport Crown Court recorded the biggest percentage increase.
- The government says it will use the returning Courts and Tribunals Bill, technology and targeted funding such as a £1.5 million pledge to train 100 more barristers each year, while lawyers warn that proposals to curb jury trials are politically fraught and that extra practical capacity is still needed.