Government launches drive to recruit thousands more unpaid magistrates to tackle courts backlog by 2029

From the Newshound archive · first published 24 September 2026 · last updated 25 September 2026.

The Ministry of Justice has set a target of 21,000 magistrates by 2029, up from just 12,500 in 2022, with Lord Chancellor Alex Norris calling on volunteers from all walks of life to apply. A recruitment campaign spanning national television and social media will back the initiative. Labour reforms will raise magistrates' sentencing powers from 12 months to 18 months, allowing them to deal with a larger share of cases. Magistrates already handle roughly 95% of all criminal cases in England and Wales.

The role requires a minimum of 13 days a year, which the MoJ says can be accommodated alongside both work and family commitments.

Women account for 57% of the current magistracy, and 14% of magistrates are from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Magistrates' Association chief executive Catherine Feast says a good magistrate is 'a team player, a problem-solver, a good listener'.