UK mandates specialist rape courtrooms across England and Wales in £23m judicial overhaul

Dedicated courtrooms and physical protections

The British government will establish specialist courtrooms for rape and serious sexual offence cases across all 84 Crown Courts in England and Wales over the next two years. Announced by Prime Minister Andy Burnham on 21 September 2026, the plan equips each Crown Court with at least one courtroom dedicated specifically to sexual offence proceedings. The designated spaces will provide separate entrances and private waiting areas to prevent victims from encountering defendants outside the courtroom. Courtrooms will also install video link technology allowing witnesses to give evidence in advance or remotely from private rooms, alongside options to observe sentencing proceedings remotely. Scotland and Northern Ireland maintain separate judicial systems and fall outside the scope of these changes.

Ending floating lists and court delays

The procedural adjustments aim to shorten processing times and remove logistical uncertainties for survivors pursuing justice. Under current arrangements, sexual offence trials are regularly placed on floating lists, leaving proceedings subject to last-minute delays to accommodate other cases. Beginning in October 2026, all rape and sexual assault trials will receive fixed calendar dates to eliminate unexpected postponements. Court staff will undergo trauma-informed training, and courts will pilot assigning a single designated point of contact for each survivor. Earlier in 2026, ministers also introduced measures granting victims access to specialist legal advice throughout the criminal justice process.

Burnham addressed the systemic delays during his morning policy briefing.

“For too long, victims of rape and serious sexual offences have felt let down by our justice system. Prosecution rates for rape remain shamefully low, with many victims waiting years for justice.”

Survivor testimony and prosecution rates

The reform package responds to public testimony by Labour Member of Parliament Charlotte Nichols, who waived her automatic right to anonymity in the House of Commons in March 2026. Nichols stated that she was raped after attending an event in Parliament and waited 1,088 days before her case was heard in court. Victims' advocacy groups note that lengthy backlogs frequently lead complainants to abandon legal proceedings. In 2025, a rape case proceeding to trial required an average of 480 days to conclude after formal charges, on top of initial investigative waiting times.

Nichols commented on the policy implementation following the prime minister's statement.

“Today marks a hugely important milestone, helping to improve the experience of victims and survivors of sexual violence in the court system who are all too often retraumatised by seeking justice.”

Budget allocation and institutional response

The Ministry of Justice will finance the national rollout through a £23 million allocation across the approximately 500 courtrooms operating in England and Wales. The structural modifications form part of a broader government target to reduce violence against women and girls by 50% over the next decade. Campaign organisations including Rape Crisis England and Wales supported the initiative, noting that only one in six rapes or attempted rapes is currently reported to the police. Office for National Statistics records show police logged 209,079 sexual offences between March 2024 and March 2025, with 2.4% resulting in formal prosecution charges.

Ciara Bergman, chief executive of Rape Crisis England and Wales, endorsed the court modifications.

“Taken together, they reflect the urgency of ensuring that courts are fit for purpose and properly meet the needs of victims and survivors, which is crucial to securing justice.”