The UK’s biggest purpose-built tribunal centre is opening in London, marking a major step in efforts to reduce long delays and improve access to justice across England and Wales.
Set to open at the end of February, the new state-of-the-art complex has been designed to deal with everyday disputes that have a direct impact on people’s lives. These include employment cases, social security appeals and child support claims—areas where demand in the capital has continued to climb.
The first in-person hearings, focused on employment tribunals, are due to begin in early March. The move is expected to ease pressure on a system currently facing a backlog of more than 66,000 cases, a level that has strained local services and left many claimants waiting months—or even years—for resolution.
Minister for Courts and Legal Services Sarah Sackman KC said: “We inherited a justice system in crisis. Backlogs soared, buildings crumbled, and people waiting years for a hearing have been left in limbo. Everyday people are paying the price for years of neglect.
This new centre is a turning point. One of the largest tribunal centres in Europe, right here in London – part of our plan to modernise the estate, recruit more judges and restore access to justice”.
She described the new centre as a “turning point”, adding that it would be one of the largest tribunal hubs in Europe and a key part of the government’s wider programme to modernise courts, recruit more judges and restore public confidence in the justice system.
The central London site will house 30 hearing rooms and 40 judicial chambers, with capacity to support up to 60 judges at any one time. Designed with flexibility in mind, the building can be reconfigured to handle different types of cases and layouts, allowing more hearings to take place each day.
Accessibility and sustainability have also been built into the design. All hearing rooms are fully wheelchair-accessible, fitted with the latest digital technology, and engineered to be more energy-efficient, helping to reduce the environmental footprint of the tribunal estate.
The opening forms part of a wider £148.5 million government investment to repair and modernise tribunal buildings across England and Wales. Alongside the construction programme, plans are in place to recruit up to 1,000 new judges and tribunal members, with the aim of speeding up decisions and cutting waiting times for thousands of people relying on the system.