Job market information
Finding out about courts and tribunals
Courts and tribunals are part of the justice sector, which is represented by Skills for Justice Sector Skills Council. It includes: forensic science; police and law enforcement; prosecution service; custodial care; community justice; plus fire and rescue services. The UK justice sector works to create and maintain a safe, just and stable society. The purpose of the sector is to reduce crime and re‐offending, promote confidence in the criminal justice system, protect people and contribute to the reduction and fear of crime, and support the administration of justice. The sector employs around 600,000 employees in the UK across a range of organisations operating with different remits.
The courts and tribunal services have specific responsibilities for providing administration and support to the courts and tribunal services throughout the UK. Court and tribunal services that operate within the UK include: Her Majesty’s Court Service (England and Wales); Scottish Court Service (Scotland); and Northern Ireland Court Service (Northern Ireland).
Key facts:
- In total there are over 26,000 people working in services across the UK, of which:
- approximately 3,000 work in tribunal services
- approximately 23,000 work in administration and support roles to the courts
- 80% of the workforce is in England.
- There are 513 Crown, County and Magistrates’ courts across England with the majority located in London, the North West and the South East.
- The tribunal jurisdictions that now constitute the Tribunals Service deal with over 500,000 cases a year and resolve more disputes than the civil courts.
- The Courts service has the highest female workforce percentages across the justice sector.
Jobs in the industry range from: Legal Advisor, Court Manager, Court Administration Manager, Court Clerk, Administrative Officer, Bailiff/Enforcement Officer, Usher.
Entry and progression
All applications must go through a standard application process through the Ministry of Justice for both the Tribunal and HM Court Services.
To be a Legal Advisor, entrants can either be professionally qualified as a solicitor or barrister before commencing work with HM Courts Service. Alternatively, an entrant can be employed by HM Courts Service as a trainee solicitor or barrister after completion of their academic and full‐time vocational training. HM Courts Service offers a specific scheme for trainee solicitors and barristers. Trainee legal advisers undergo training for up to two years.
A number of courses are provided for Court Administration Managers to develop leadership and management capability. Some have the opportunity to obtain management qualifications, such as NVQ Management Level 4 or a Masters in Business Administration.
Internal training is provided for Court Clerks, Administrative Officers, Enforcement Officers and Ushers. Roles such as administrator, ushers and clerks have internal progression pathways.
There are a range of industry endorsed courses, undergraduate and post‐graduate courses and training schemes.
For job specific entry requirements, take a look at our job profiles.
Workforce statistics
| Number of UK employees: |
26,000 |
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| Number of UK employers: |
665 (Skills for Justice estimate based on incomplete dataset, 2007-2008) |
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| Gender: |
31% male |
69% female |
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| Ethnicity: |
88% of the workforce is white. |
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| Age profile of the Justice sector as a whole: |
8% of people are aged 16-24 years |
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| 25% are aged 25-34 years |
| 30% are aged 35-44 years |
| 25% are aged 45-54 years |
| 11% are aged 55-64 years |
| 1% are 65 years plus |
| Certain roles in the justice sector, such as police and prison officers, have a minimum age requirement of 18 years and 30 year retirement schemes. |
| Employment: |
87% of the justice sector workforce is employed full‐time. |
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[N.B. Data for Justice sector does not include fire service activities. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2007‐2008.]
Employment trends and future prospects
Across the justice sector as a whole, there is a forecasted need for 136,000 people between 2007‐2017. In the longer term, government spending on Public Administration and Defence is expected to increase at a lower rate than the economy as a whole. Pressures to restrain government expenditure and cut costs mean increased productivity and efficiency will be essential for the sector. A key element of the government’s strategy to increase efficiency and to direct more staff to front‐line delivery of services is the efficient and effective use of technology.
Skill requirements and shortages
The following skills gaps have been identified:
- first line management skills
- customer service
- being able to work sensitively with victims and witnesses
- communication skills with the public and those with differing communication needs
Occupational trends
Due to the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review, growth in the public administration (this includes the judicial activities and police and fire services) is likely to be around 1% per year to 2017. Declines are expected to be in administrative, clerical and secretarial roles, but increases in management and professional roles.
Justice sector occupational distribution
| Managers and Senior Officials |
9% |
|---|
| Professional Occupations |
8% |
|---|
| Associate Professional and Technical |
54% |
|---|
| Administrative and Secretarial |
18% |
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| Skilled Trades Occupations |
1% |
|---|
| Personal Service Occupations |
1% |
|---|
| Sales and Customer Service Occupations |
* |
|---|
| Process, Plant and Machine Operatives |
* |
|---|
| Elementary Occupations |
7% |
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[N.B. Data does not include fire service activities. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2007‐2008.]
National and regional data
The East Midlands has 50 Courts, of which 33 are Magistrates’ Courts, 3 Crown and 14 County Courts. They employ 2,780 full‐time equivalent staff.
The East of England has 51 Courts, of which 33 are Magistrates’ Courts, 5 Crown and 13 County Courts, that employ 1,650 full‐time equivalent staff.
London has 68 Courts, of which 38 Magistrates’ Courts, 12 Crown and 18 County Courts. They employ 5,450 full‐time equivalent staff.
The North East has 32 Courts, of which 22 Magistrates’ Courts and 10 County Courts. They employ 1,270 full‐time equivalent staff.
The North West has 72 Courts, of which 42 Magistrates’ Courts, 4 Crown and 26 County Courts. They employ 3,340 full‐time equivalent staff.
The South East has 80 Courts, of which 52 Magistrates’ Courts, 5 Crown and 13 County Courts. They employ 2,570 full‐time equivalent staff.
The South West has 63 Courts, of which 45 Magistrates’ Courts, 5 Crown and 13 County Courts. They employ 2,570 full‐time equivalent staff.
The West Midlands has 47 Courts, of which 30 Magistrates’ Courts, 3 Crown and 14 County Courts. They employ 2,300 full‐time equivalent staff.
Yorkshire and Humberside has 41 Courts, of which 27 Magistrates’ Courts, 2 Crown and 12 County Courts. They employ 2,280 full‐time equivalent staff.
In Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Court Service (NICtS) was established in 1979 as a separate civil service and is the Lord Chancellor's department in Northern Ireland and currently employs 848 staff. The Northern Ireland Court Service has identified management and leadership skills and policy skills as workforce skills issues that will need developing.
In Scotland, the Scottish Court Service (SCS) employs 1,400 people. There are 220 people working to support the Tribunals Service in Scotland. The Scottish Court Service has identified the following areas for workforce development over the next three years: increased partnership working; leadership and management; keeping up with legislative change; plus ICT and soft skills related to communications.
In Wales, HM Courts Service (HMCS) employs approximately 1,120. The Tribunal Service employs 140 people
Salary levels
Salary ranges:
- Ushers – between £13,984 and £16,950
- Court Clerk – between £14,562 and £16,530
- Bailiff/Enforcement Officer – between £14,310 and £17,425 for those working in the County Court, and between £13,716 and £15,579 for those in the Magistrates’ Courts
- Administrative Officer – between £15,907 and £20,135
- Legal Advisor – between £27,153 and £39,822
Career paths
Further sources
Produced Sept 2010, using Skills for Justice AACS LMI report (Jun 2010)
