Small claims court backlog reaches record high

A Taunton solicitor said some people are waiting more than two years to get in front of a judge

The wait for a small claims hearing in Somerset has reached record levels, new figures show.

The data from the Ministry of Justice show the average wait time for a small claims case to be heard at Taunton County Court in the three months to March was one year and 21 days.

Taunton solicitor James McNally told BBC Radio Somerset: "The backlog is huge. The small claims court limit has been increased from £5k to £10k but there's also been a huge number of courts across the UK that have closed and a lot of court staff have been made redundant."

The Ministry of Justice said they are recruiting almost 1,000 new judges and tribunal members to help the backlog.

Mr McNally said: "Small claims court are there to resolve disputes but I don't think people have the money to settle claims the way they used too.

"It's not just small claims, it's all type of claims. It used to be, if you had a dispute, the court would step in, and within 12 months you'd be in front of a judge.

"You could be looking at two or three years before getting to court and it just means claims are progressing and the backlog is growing," he explained.

The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers said people in need of justice are facing "unacceptable delays" for their day in court.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "Around 97% of county court claims are resolved without the need for a trial but we are taking action to ensure those that do are dealt with quickly.

"We are investing in the recruitment of about 1,000 judges and tribunal members this year across all courts and tribunals, have funded 74,300 sitting days in the Civil Courts for 2025/26 and are holding more remote hearings."