An investigative report elucidates the significant decline in public funding for justice since 2010.
- Justice spending, accounting for merely 0.5% of GDP, has seen a 22% reduction since 2010.
- Compared to substantial allocations in other sectors, justice funding appears disproportionately low.
- Inflation and population growth exacerbate the decline in justice funding, with figures misleadingly indicating a nominal increase.
- Experts urge the government to reconsider funding strategies as a spending review looms.
In a detailed analysis of public funding trends, it is revealed that expenditure on justice has diminished by over 22% in real terms since 2010, even though such funding represents only a small portion of overall public finances. The Bar Council highlights this disparity in its recent report, stressing the need for an overhaul in budgeting priorities concerning justice spending.
Throughout 2022/23, the UK allocated approximately £10.9 billion to justice, equating to 0.5% of GDP or £181 per capita. This investment levels off with spending on overseas aid, yet pales in comparison to the £640 per person allocated to transport, £820 for defence, and £1,550 for education. Such figures prompt critical reflection on the prioritisation of justice within the national budget.
The report further reveals that the Ministry of Justice, alongside entities like the Serious Fraud Office and Crown Prosecution Service, witnessed a 12.6% increase in cash funding since 2018/19. However, once inflation is considered, this translates to a stark reduction of 15.4%. Moreover, taking population growth into account, this effectively results in a 22.4% drop in real terms in justice funding.
Authored by Professor Martin Chalkley and Alice Chalkley, the ‘Justice Short Changed’ report elucidates that between 2009/2010 and 2022/23, legal aid spending decreased by nearly 40% in real terms. Concurrently, funding for prisons and probation decreased by 23%, while allocations for the Serious Fraud Office and Crown Prosecution Service fell by 24%. Although there has been a 36% increase in spending on courts and tribunals since 2009/10, the unique revenue streams from service fees make financial assessments complex.
Sam Townend KC, chair of the Bar Council, underscores the necessity of strategic funding adjustments, especially with an imminent government spending review. He emphasises that continued underfunding undermines citizens’ rights to justice, necessitating immediate investment and sustainable funding solutions.
The current funding model for justice inadequately supports its demands, necessitating urgent governmental reassessment.
