- State-of-the-art centre housing 30 hearing rooms to open in central London
- Backed by £148.5m to repair and modernise the tribunal estate
- Part of the government’s Plan for Change to tackle the tribunal backlog
The UK’s largest dedicated tribunal centre is set to open at the end of February, dealing with disputes that affect people’s day-today-lives and boosting access to justice for individuals across England and Wales.
This centre will tackle a range of cases, such as employment, social security and child support, as demand in London continues to rise.
The first in-person hearings will cover employment tribunals and begin at the start of March, helping to address the current backlog of over 66,310 cases – a figure that has put serious pressure on local services.
Minister for Courts and Legal Services Sarah Sackman KC said
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.
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.
The state-of-the-art hub in central London will house 30 hearing rooms, 40 judicial chambers and support up to 60 judges.
Equipped with the latest technology and fully wheelchair‑accessible, the new hearing rooms have been designed to be greener and more efficient. The flexible space can accommodate different cases and room layouts, helping to maximise the number of hearings that can take place.
The government is investing £148.5 million to repair and modernise the estate across England and Wales, while recruiting up to 1,000 new judges and tribunal members to ensure cases are heard more quickly.