Recommendation 22

The capacity required to manage the caseload efficiently on a timely basis, both at a national level, and in each part of the country, has not been set out.46 MoJ argued that there is more than enough capacity in the system overall to meet demand, on the grounds that backlogs are reducing.47 However HMCTS has taken some measures to help increase capacity. For example, it has sought to increase the number of district judges 41 Qq 12, 16, 29 42 C&AG’s Report, para 1.10 43 Q 29; C&AG’s Report, para 3.12 44 Q 29 45 Qq 12, 15, 20, 31 46 Qq 17-18; C&AG’s Report, para 1.7 47 Qq 18-19 15 over the last few years, through raising the retirement age and improving pension arrangements. HMCTS has a current drive to recruit up to 80 district judges specifically for London and the South East.48 DfE told us that, although shortages in social workers still contribute to delays in the family justice system, the number of social workers is moving in the right direction. It noted that there were 34,300 social workers as of September 2024, 3.7% up on last year; and the average of just over 15 cases per full- time local authority social worker is 2.3 fewer than in 2017.49 Improving data and analysis for family justice services