Increase magistrates to 21,000 by 2028/29
“We are rebuilding the magistracy by increasing the total number of magistrates to 21,000 in 2028/29, with more regular regional recruitment and a new national taskforce to support local Advisory Committees.”
- Promised
Where it stands
The government says the number of magistrates fell from around 25,000 in 2012 to 12,500 by 2021. Alongside regional recruitment and a national taskforce, it is spending around £4 million a year on marketing to attract candidates. 2028/29 is read as the financial year ending 31 March 2029. The card moves when the government publishes the number of magistrates.
What has happened
- Oct 2026The government says it will increase the number of magistrates to 21,000 in 2028/29, Promised
- Mar 202921,000 magistrates due in 2028/29, Deadline
About the cost
The response gives around £4 million a year for marketing to attract candidates, not a total cost of the increase, so no yearly figure is shown.
More detail
How cards are checked
Status follows the promise standard, the same for every party. A status changes only on evidence. Anyone named on a card can reply, and replies are published next to it. AI Journalist is our automated reviewer: it re-reads every card against its live sources (the quote word for word, dates, evidence, status, cost, neutral wording, legal risk). An editor, Pavel Guzhikov, then checks each card against its sources and approves it.
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