Second quarter of 2026 sees 42% rise in judicial review applications compared to 2025

Ministry of Justice figures show local authorities had the largest number of applications lodged against them, at 410, of which 31 have to date been granted permission to proceed to final hearing in whole or in part.

The second highest recipient of cases was the Home Office, at 400, of which 12 have so far gained whole or partial permission to proceed.

In third place was the Ministry of Justice, with 180 applications lodged of which six may so far proceed.

Out of the 1,300 applications received in the second quarter this year, 400 were civil immigration and asylum applications, 890 were in the ‘civil (other)’ category and 38 were criminal.

These were changes of 28%, 52% and -3% respectively from the second quarter of 2025.

Of the applications that reached the permission stage in the second quarter, 32 were found to be totally without merit, 53 have been granted permission to proceed and 130 were refused at the permission stage. One case so refused was granted permission on renewal.

The MoJ said 54 cases were assessed eligible for a final hearing, of which two have since been heard.

It said the mean time from a case being lodged to the permission decision was 39 days.

Mark Smulian