The body that advises the lord chancellor on judicial salaries has recommended an above-inflation 3.8% pay rise - but voiced concern over the quality of judges being recruited to the bench.
In its latest pay recommendation report, published yesterday, the Senior Salaries Review Body warned that a dwindling number of successful candidates rated ‘outstanding’ or ‘strong’ risked eroding the talent pipeline to senior office.
The report reveals that the Judicial Appointments Commission has an internal assessment system for successful candidates. 'A' is outstanding, 'B' is strong and 'C' is appointable. During 2024-25, the number of candidates graded A/B was 54% - down from 64% the previous two years. The number of district judges (civil) graded A/B has hovered at around 39% since 2021-22, which the SSRB called a ‘concerning trend’. The 2025-26 recruitment campaign for circuit judges resulted in a record low of 51% of candidates being deemed A/B.
‘In oral evidence, the JAC and the lord chancellor advised us to exercise caution in interpreting the decline of “A/B” candidates on selection day and the corresponding growth of “C” candidates. The JAC and the MoJ stressed that “C” candidates are still appointable and of a high calibre, and that assessments on selection day do not necessarily have a bearing on judicial performance following appointment.
‘However, we note that the JAC does not progress “C” candidates for appointment to the High Court or above. We therefore regard the sustained downward trend in “A/B” candidates across judicial posts as a matter of concern, given its potential implications for the resilience of the future judiciary.
‘A sustained reduction in “A/B” candidates entering at junior levels may, over time, narrow the pool from which senior judges are drawn. This emerging pattern also brings into sharper focus the underlying strategic issue - whether the system is increasingly driven by the need to fill vacancies, rather than consistently attracting the strongest candidates across all levels.’
The report states that the 3.8% pay rise recommendation was made when inflation was falling towards the Bank of England’s 2% target. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice today announced a new Judicial and Legal Diversity Board to 'break down barriers' holding back judges from diverse backgrounds.
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