Guidance

The HMCTS Reform Programme

Find out more about our reform programme, including how to stay updated on progress.

From:
HM Courts & Tribunals Service
Published
9 November 2018
Last updated
23 February 2024 — See all updates

Since 2016 we’ve been modernising our justice system to make it more straightforward, accessible and efficient.

Our ambitious programme is designed to improve courts and tribunals for both those who use them and for those working in them.

Our vision for reform and our modernised services were critical to our response during the pandemic. They enabled us to continue to provide access to justice to those who needed it.

What we’ve achieved

Reformed projects are having a significant impact on those who need our justice system, as well as helping the most vulnerable in our society. There’s been widespread uptake.

At the end of 2023, we published data which shows a trend towards the increased use of digital services.

Between April 2019 and September 2023 we received 2.4 million digitally submitted cases to our reformed services.

These services include:

  • immigration and asylum
  • divorce
  • probate
  • money claims
  • low-level criminal cases using the Single Justice Procedure
  • government benefit appeals
  • family public law cases

Satisfaction scores from those using the services directly, or contacting our Service Centres about a case, remain high. Nearly all services scored between 74% and 94% for ‘very good’ or ‘good’ ratings in the first half of the 2023 financial year. 

Reformed services now provide the quality insights we need to support decisions around further improving services. They produce information on protected characteristics which allows us to identify barriers which may otherwise have been hidden. 

This can be seen in the publication in November 2023 of assessment reports that measured how effectively four of our reformed services are performing against pre-defined access to justice criteria.

Reform projects

Fact sheets provide the latest information on our reformed projects in each jurisdiction:

But there’s still more work to do.

What we’re doing next

As we move into the final phase of delivery, we’ve rebalanced certain elements of the Reform Programme. This will ensure a stable operational environment in which we continue to improve at a steady pace.

In crime, we’ll focus on fixing and enhancing Common Platform, the principal case management system in the criminal courts. We will not proceed with all aspects of the two further releases but will continue with some standalone elements which have already been built.

We’ll retain the Crown Court Digital Case System, identifying ways we can enhance it in future, while making sure it works effectively alongside Common Platform.

We expect to conclude and close the crime Reform Programme in March 2025.

Reforms in Civil and Family Private Law are the largest and most complex in the programme. As a result, we will extend the completion date for the overall programme from March 2024 to March 2025.

Civil enforcement changes will be removed from our plans, although would still allow for digital issue of warrants.

These adjustments will boost efficiency and functionality of our existing technology. They’ll  provide a more consistent and reliable service for public and professional users. We have the full support of the Lord Chancellor, the Lady Chief Justice and the Senior President of Tribunals in making them.

Throughout the reform programme, we’ve updated and engaged with our stakeholders, including professional and public user groups. We’ll continue to work with them as well as gather feedback from the people they represent.

Keep up to date

Stay up to date with progress on reform by:

Updates to this page

Published 9 November 2018
Last updated 23 February 2024 + show all updates

  1. Updated page to reflect the latest information on Reform.

  2. We have updated the page in line with the most current reform information.

  3. Updated 'What we're doing next' section - including details on our revised schedule.

  4. Added reform achievements as at 23 February 2023.

  5. Updated information about our reform programme.

  6. Updated the contact email address.

  7. Added translation

  8. Reform Programme information updated and new information fact sheets published.

  9. Welsh translation added.

  10. Added translation

  11. Add link to stakeholder groups

  12. Link to email alerts added.

  13. First published.

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