Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 17
17
Deferred
Litigants-in-person are inadequately supported due to inaccessible language and insufficient data collection.
Conclusion
Despite persistent calls, litigants-in-person are not adequately supported through the court process. The language used in court applications is inaccessible, court procedure is not explained, and there is limited support available. The insufficient data collection on the prevalence of litigants-in- person means the Ministry of Justice cannot understand how to direct and provide the support needed. (Conclusion, Paragraph 85)
Government Response Summary
The government highlighted benefits of existing digital services and the new Civil Auto File Share (CAFS) system for modernising civil case file handling, but did not specifically address the lack of adequate support, accessible language, or data collection for litigants-in-person.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
HMCTS has reviewed the civil work that was descoped from the Reform Programme. The services that have been delivered via Reform (Online Money Claims and Damages Service) are demonstrating significant benefits for the user including much swifter access to justice with timeliness improved for all stages of a case, and these services are also helping more users settle their cases; however, we recognise that further digitalisation is required to deliver our full vision of civil justice. The Civil Auto File Share (CAFS) is a solution to modernise civil case file handling. CAFS replaces manual, paper-heavy workflows with a digital system that automates email intake, tags and stores documents centrally, and enables courts to access, manage and store files via SharePoint. It allows contact centre staff to view real-time updates from the court file, providing accurate, timely information to users. By streamlining each stage of the case journey, CAFS will save approximately a month in overall claim timeliness. This not only improves transparency and responsiveness but also reduces duplication, delays, and the need for re-submissions, delivering a more efficient and user-centred service across the Civil National Business Centre and the County Courts.