Constitutional Affairs Committee urges small claims court improvements

The Commons Constitutional Affairs Committee (UK) today released a report addressing the issue of access to justice via the small claims courts. The Committee recommends:

* Increasing the upper limit on small claims from £1000 to £2500;

* That the DCA 'urgently implement and monitor measures to improve [small claims] enforcement'; and

* That that DCA 'place greater priority on providing adequate IT facilities which would be much more efficient and provide for a better service to the public.'

Alan Beith, Chair of the Committee, said:

The small claims system is an absolutely essential part of giving ordinary people, who can’t necessarily risk getting involved in a case with huge legal fees, access to justice and a means of redress in this country. That is why it is all the more important that the county courts have the proper facilities they need, and that when someone does get a successful judgement, the means are there to ensure it gets enforced, both for the claimant’s benefit and for the credibility of the system.

Click here for the full report.