Sarah Sackman KC tells MPs courts are overwhelmed, underfunded and stuck in a paper-based past
Justice minister Sarah Sackman KC has delivered a stark verdict on the state of England and Wales’ county courts, telling MPs they remain battered and underperforming more than four years after the pandemic struck. Appearing before the Commons justice committee, Sackman admitted service levels are nowhere near acceptable and progress remains painfully slow.
“I would not be doing my job if I sat here and said all is well,” Sackman said. “The performance of the county court has not truly recovered since the Covid pandemic.”
She warned of ballooning backlogs, delays stretching beyond 50 weeks for small claims, a degraded court estate and a demoralised workforce struggling in poor conditions with largely paper-based systems. The picture she painted was grim—and, for many legal professionals, overdue.
Her appearance followed increasing criticism from the legal profession and court users who say the system has become almost unusable. While Sackman pointed to progress in digital initiatives—such as the rollout of online money and damages claims, and the upcoming digitisation of possession cases—she conceded these measures were “nowhere near enough”.
The most scathing critiques came from within. Chair of the committee Andy Slaughter MP relayed accounts from solicitors who believe service levels were better two decades ago, when counters were staffed and phones were answered by local courts. Today, queries are routed through a centralised call centre in Northampton.
Sackman claimed call response times have improved drastically—from 40 minutes pre-centralisation to just three minutes today. That claim was met with disbelief from practitioners, prompting intervention from HMCTS operations director Daniel Flury. He insisted that “nostalgia” for the pre-centralisation era was misguided and that the new system offers better oversight and responsiveness.
Embed from Getty ImagesStill, critics argue that centralisation has contributed to a sense of detachment and inaccessibility. Lawyers say they are frequently left in the dark about case progress, often unable to reach anyone with knowledge of their matter. Many say they’ve stopped bothering with follow-ups altogether.
The problems run deeper than administration. A working group from the Civil Justice Council found that enforcement—the backbone of county court activity—is “seriously weak”. Most contributors to the group’s recent review described the system as inefficient and excessively complex. Sackman agreed, adding that small businesses and individuals are routinely deterred from pursuing valid claims due to the sheer hassle.
“There might well be cases that are not even being brought because people think: ‘I just cannot be bothered,’” she told MPs. “It’s going to take the best part of a year and a half, it’s not worth my while, I’ll take the hit and move on.”
Sackman also acknowledged the strain on judges, many of whom are operating out of dilapidated court buildings with little support. “All of that can be demoralising,” she admitted.
Though solutions are obvious, they remain elusive. The main obstacle is money. Sackman confirmed the Ministry of Justice has requested a relatively modest £6–8 million to digitise county court defences—but there’s no sign the Treasury will approve it. The shadow of the courts IT programme looms large, having spent £1.4 billion to achieve a fraction of its goals.
With no significant funding on the horizon, Sackman’s sobering testimony reflects a justice system teetering between stagnation and collapse. For now, citizens must navigate a process that feels as antiquated as it is exhausting—and one that still bears the scars of a pandemic long past.
