The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers said people in need of justice are facing “unacceptable delays” for their day in court, with some Londoners left waiting well over a year to be heard.
In London, Brent residents faced the longest wait, although the figure is steadily going down. New figures from the Ministry of Justice show the average wait time for a small claims case in the first quarter of this year to be heard at Willesden County Court was one year, eight months and 13 days.
This was lower than the same period a year earlier, when it was one year, 10 months and four days. However, it was higher than the 11 months and one day in 2020, before the Covid pandemic caused major delays across the justice system.
Small claims cases are made when a contract has been breached, usually when a person is trying to get their money back for a faulty product, poor service or personal injury. They are heard in county courts, when the sum involved is less than £10,000.
Across England, the average wait from a claim being issued to the hearing or trial commencing was 11 months and 13 days – a slight decrease on the 11 months and 24 days a year earlier. However, it is still significantly higher than the average wait of nine months and three days in 2020.
Matthew Tuff, president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, said while the Government was taking action elsewhere in the justice system, “civil justice must not be forgotten”. He said: “People who turn to the county courts in their time of need are being met with unacceptable delays, a lack of court staff, and crumbling buildings.”
He added: “While cases are delayed, justice is at a standstill and victims are unable to get their lives back on track. Someone who has suffered harm because of negligence, perhaps at work or on the road, is just as much a victim as a victim of crime.”
The data also shows the average wait for fast, multi and intermediate track trials at Willesden County Court, which are used for more serious issues, was two years and five days – higher than the national average of one year, five months and five days.
Richard Atkinson, president of the Law Society of England and Wales, said Government investment to recruit more court staff would “help reduce delays and contribute to enhancing access to justice”.
He added: “We continue to call for regular data on the court estate to be shared to help transform the issue of court maintenance from a reactive process to a proactive one. It would enable courts to better predict maintenance failures, allow for improved processes and be cost-efficient.”
In total, there were 333 small claims cases allocated at Willesden County Court in the three months to March – more than the 308 a year ago, and more than the 177 in 2020.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said it is supporting the busiest courts by allowing judges to hear cases remotely. They said: “Around 97 per cent 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.”
They added: “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.”
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