Largest funding increase in more than a decade for justice system

Victims, courts and prisons will benefit from the Ministry of Justice’s largest funding increase in more than a decade, awarded in the recently announced Spending Review.

In summary there will be:

  • Extra £2.2 billion in Spending Review to drive recovery in courts, prisons and probation
  • £550 million to cut reoffending and protect the public
  • £185 million a year to boost victim support services

A 12 percent boost to the department’s budget will see £11.5 billion invested by the end of this parliament, delivering commitments to cut crime and build back confidence in justice – with an extra £2.2 billion to aid recovery in the courts, prisons and probation services.

An extra £550 million will be invested over the next 3 years to rehabilitate offenders and protect the public – getting ex-prisoners into work and keeping them off the streets to tackle the root causes of crime.

The money will help accelerate the extensive work already underway to recover from the unprecedented impact of the pandemic, while delivering a more efficient and modern justice system.

More than £1 billion has been allocated to boost capacity and accelerate post-pandemic recovery. This includes £477 million that has been secured to help deliver the swift access to justice that victims deserve – improving waiting times and reducing court backlogs.

Crucially, victim support services will see £185 million in annual funding by 2024-25. This will fund more than 1,000 Independent Sexual and Domestic Violence Advisors and 24/7 crisis helplines and is an 85% increase on funding in 2019/20.

In addition, £3.5 billion will fund the MOJ’s commitment to create 18,000 additional prison places - the biggest prison-building programme in more than a century. A further £250 million will fund an extra 2,000 temporary prison places.

Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab MP said:

The pandemic created unprecedented challenges but this settlement is the largest increase in more than a decade for the justice system. That means we can focus on building a better, more efficient, justice system for all.

The extra investment will help us protect the public by bringing criminals to justice quicker, reducing stubborn reoffending rates and supporting victims better than ever before.

The settlement includes a further £324 million over the next 3 years to improve timeliness in civil and family courts and tribunals. £200 million will complete the flagship £1.3 billion court-reform programme, fulfilling our commitment to a justice system that takes advantage of technology and moves more court processes to quicker and safer online platforms.

The Spending Review will also boost access to justice for millions by expanding the eligibility thresholds for legal aid in civil cases - such as deciding child maintenance arrangements. The MOJ will set out plans for criminal legal aid following the ongoing independent review which is due to report back soon.

Georgie Morgan

Georgie Morgan

Head of Justice and Emergency Services | Fraud and Economic Crime Lead, techUK

Georgie joined techUK as the Justice and Emergency Services (JES) Programme Manager in March 2020, progressing to Head of Programme in January 2022. Her portfolio then expanded in January 2024 where she now leads our work across fraud and economic crime. 

In her current role, Georgie leads techUK’s engagement and initiatives across the blue light and criminal justice sectors. She works closely with industry and stakeholders to drive innovation, address challenges, and anticipate future needs, while showcasing the critical role technology plays in delivering essential public safety and justice services. Through the JES programme, she provides a platform for suppliers, helping them navigate and establish themselves in the blue light and criminal justice markets.

Before joining techUK, Georgie spent four and a half years managing a Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) in Westminster. Collaborating with the Metropolitan Police and local councils, she focused on mitigating the impact of crime on the business community. Her efforts spanned addressing low-level street crime and anti-social behavior to managing critical incidents and violent crime.

Email:
[email protected]
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgie-henley/

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