UK launches £4m campaign to recruit thousands more magistrates
The Ministry of Justice launched a £4 million national recruitment campaign aiming to rebuild the magistracy toward a 21,000-strong bench by 2028/29, the Law Gazette reported on September 25, 2026. Nearly 3,000 magistrates have been appointed in the current drive; adverts will appear on television and social media, in what the Ministry of Justice called the largest such initiative ever. A national taskforce is seeking to cut historically long recruitment times by more than half.
Key points
- The MoJ launched a £4m “You’ve Got the Makings of a Magistrate” recruitment campaign.Law Gazette
- The government aims for a 21,000-strong magistracy by 2028/29; about 12,500 served in 2022.Law Gazette
- Nearly 3,000 magistrates have been appointed in the ongoing recruitment effort.Law Gazette
- Adverts will appear on television and social media; the MoJ called the £4m initiative the largest ever.Law Gazette
- A national taskforce aims to cut magistracy recruitment times by more than half.Law Gazette