Victims of crime could see cases resolved more quickly under Government plans to invest up to £34 million a year in criminal legal aid, with barristers set to receive significant fee increases designed to strengthen the justice system and reduce court delays.
The Ministry of Justice has launched proposals that would increase legal aid fees for barristers by an average of 11%, recognising their role in tackling the growing Crown Court backlog and ensuring more cases can be brought to trial.
Barristers working on rape and serious sexual offence cases would receive an average fee increase of more than 13%, with payments for some guilty plea cases rising by almost 50%. Ministers say the changes reflect the complexity of these cases and support the Government’s ambition to halve violence against women and girls within the next decade by improving access to timely justice.
The investment package includes £3.5 million already allocated to preparatory fees to help ensure cases are ready for trial. The Government believes the additional funding will help attract and retain criminal legal aid barristers, increasing capacity across the legal sector and enabling more cases to progress through the courts.
The proposals also include higher fees for appeals in the magistrates’ courts and Court of Appeal, committals for sentence, post-sentencing hearings in the Crown Court and selected pre-trial hearings. Ministers say the reforms better reflect the preparation and expertise required while supporting junior barristers entering the profession.
The measures form part of the Government’s wider plans to rebuild a criminal legal aid system that has faced years of underinvestment and mounting pressure.
With the Crown Court backlog now exceeding 80,000 cases, ministers argue the additional investment is a key step towards restoring confidence in the justice system, reducing delays and ensuring both victims and defendants have access to high-quality legal representation. A consultation on the proposed fee increases has now been launched before the reforms are implemented.
Minister for Courts and Legal Services, Sarah Sackman KC MP, said: ’Victims deserve to see justice delivered without unnecessary delay. That’s why we are investing up to £34 million a year in criminal legal aid, supporting the barristers who keep cases moving through the courts and help ensure offenders are brought to justice.
‘This investment will strengthen the legal aid sector, enable more cases to be heard and help cut the court backlog, ensuring victims receive swifter justice.
‘The Government is also consulting on higher fees for barristers where defendants enter guilty pleas, and for plea and trial preparation hearings, recognising the crucial work undertaken before a case reaches trial.’
Photo: Sasun Bughdaryan
Leave a Reply