“We need more people of every age and background,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy as the government launched a fresh national push on 3 January 2026 to bring around 2,000 new volunteer magistrates into England and Wales over the next financial year. Ministers say more than 2,000 have already been trained since 2022, part of the Plan for Change to speed up justice.

So what does that mean for the North? Recruitment windows open throughout 2026. Greater Manchester is first up from 16–29 January, with further rounds in April, July and October. Lancashire, North & West Cumbria and South Cumbria are set for 2–16 February, then 1–15 May and 3–17 August. Merseyside is scheduled for March, June and September, while Cheshire follows the same March, June and September pattern. In Yorkshire, West Yorkshire is recruiting on a rolling basis, with South Yorkshire and Northumbria planning January intakes. Family bench dates vary by area.

You don’t need a law degree to serve. Magistrates are volunteers, sitting a minimum of 13 days a year. New recruits receive robust training, an experienced mentor in their first year and are supported in court by legal advisers. Roles are open across criminal, youth and family work, and selectors look for clear communication, fairness and the ability to weigh both sides.

Who’s on the bench now? Ministry of Justice figures show 57% of magistrates are women and 14% are from ethnic minority backgrounds, with London’s bench at 31% ethnic minority. The push is aimed at broadening representation everywhere, including outside the capital.

Ministers argue fresh volunteers will help unclog the courts. The ‘Swift Courts’ package, set out on 2 December 2025, would move cases likely to attract sentences of three years or less to a judge sitting alone and raise magistrates’ sentencing powers to 18 months, potentially to two years. The crown court backlog is hovering around 80,000 cases.

Supporters and critics agree the system needs capacity and kit. The Magistrates’ Association backs recruitment but says benches need enough trained, well‑paid legal advisers and safe, usable courtrooms. Its national chair David Ford called the reforms “a vote of confidence” in the nation’s 15,000 magistrates and added: “We have long called for radical action to deal with a justice system in crisis.”

For context, there were 14,636 magistrates in post on 1 April 2025, according to a written parliamentary answer. The MoJ’s aim has been to recruit around 2,000 a year, with regional deployment decisions taken by the judiciary; ministers told MPs the North West currently has sufficient capacity, with vacancies to be filled via planned recruitment.

Closer to home, Greater Manchester’s volunteer magistrates have been recognised with the King’s Award for Voluntary Service after delivering 197 school and community sessions in a year, reaching 8,560 young people across all ten boroughs-proof that the bench’s civic role stretches well beyond the courtroom.

Getting started is straightforward. You apply to sit where you live or work; if your area isn’t open, you can register your interest and spend time observing hearings-most applicants are advised to watch at least two sittings to understand the role. Eligibility is generally ages 18–74, with a minimum commitment of 13 sitting days a year.

Local voices are urging more Northerners to step forward. “It’s an incredibly rewarding role… helping create positive change for your local community while learning new skills,” said Greater Manchester magistrate Mariam Dagger Aslam, calling for younger and more diverse applicants.

From Altrincham to Acomb, benches need people who know their patch. Northern employers can help by giving staff time to serve; would‑be applicants can check the windows above and plan a court visit. As Lammy put it, volunteering “can make a real difference to your life and the lives of others”-and to justice on our doorstep.