Lammy said recruitment and retention pressures should be addressed through wider judicial pay reform rather than annual awards
The Lord Chancellor, David Lammy, has rejected the Senior Salaries Review Body’s (SSRB) recommendation for a 3.8% judicial pay uplift, confirming instead that judges will receive a 3.5% increase from April 2026.
Setting out his decision in a written statement to Parliament, Lammy said he valued the SSRB’s “expertise and independent advice” in recommending a pay award that reflects the role of the judiciary across the justice system, and confirmed that he had considered its advice alongside the financial implications for his department.
He said he shared the SSRB’s concern “over the persistent recruitment and retention issues affecting parts of the judiciary”.
However, he said the Government’s response to those issues would be addressed through structural reform rather than annual uplift decisions, adding: “The major review of the judicial salary structure is the right place to address these issues through targeted reform and presents better value than the flat-rate pay uplift of the annual pay review.”
The SSRB had recommended a 3.8% uplift for all judicial office holders for 2026/27, citing ongoing pressures around recruitment and retention in parts of the judiciary.
Lammy said the 3.5% award would be applied equally across all judicial office holders within his remit from April 2026. He added that the decision exceeded the 2% level identified as affordable in published evidence, but required “tough choices within the department’s spending plans”, reflecting wider pressures on public finances.
He reiterated that the Government remained committed to strengthening the judiciary, pointing to previously announced investment in sitting days, court buildings, technology and legal professionals, which he said demonstrated continued support for judicial independence and the effective delivery of justice.
Lammy confirmed he would continue working with the SSRB on the ongoing major review of judicial pay, with further reporting expected later this year.