Delays at the recently launched Civil National Business Centre (CNBC) are causing concern over the efficiency of civil justice, reports the Association of Consumer Support Organisations (ASCO).
The CNBC, which took over from the County Court Money Claims Centre on August 14, is part of the HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) plan to centralise civil administration work. However, ASCO’s analysis of data reveals growing delays.
HMCTS data compared from May to August 2023 show concerning trends, such as the CNBC’s time to initiate new paper-based claims having increased from 37 to 40 working days.
Processes intended to facilitate smoother interactions have also slowed. The most significant rise was in processing from application to order or comment, now at 82 working days, around four months.
Matthew Maxwell Scott, executive director of ASCO, said: “The current CNBC delays are having a substantial impact on the overall county court timelines, as reflected in the civil justice quarterly statistics.
“Processing delays have been getting longer and longer for some time. Across a number of public institutions, from the DVLA to the UK Border Force, we’ve seen a rapid deterioration in service quality in recent times. Civil justice may not have the same political profile, but the problems are just as acute and the impact on consumers, often in a very vulnerable position, is simply unacceptable.
“HMCTS needs a clear plan to start reducing processing times. We saw how the government managed to get a grip of failures in the Passport Office amid a media outcry and bring about significant improvements in processing times; we urge ministers to adopt a similar no-nonsense approach to our civil justice system.”
ACSO, established in 2019, is a not-for-profit membership organization advocating for consumer interests within the UK’s civil justice system.
Maxwell Scott explained that ACSO has also flagged problems with the design and current operation of the recently launched Damages Claims Portal and has sought out every availabl