.svg)
Spending on court translation services across England and Wales has surged dramatically, reaching as much as £152,000 per day, raising serious concerns over efficiency and potential fraud within the system.
Recent data shows that total expenditure hit £38.6 million in 2024, marking an 80% increase since 2020. Early figures from 2025 indicate the upward trend is continuing, driven largely by a growing number of non-English-speaking defendants appearing in court. Romanian, Polish, and Arabic are now among the most requested languages, while costs for Albanian and Kurdish interpreters have more than doubled over the past four years.
The sharp rise in spending has sparked criticism from senior political figures and oversight bodies. Concerns have been raised about both the quality of services and vulnerabilities within the system, with warnings that poor interpretation could undermine the fairness of legal proceedings.
Several alarming cases have further fueled these concerns. In one instance, an individual fraudulently used another professional’s identity to work as a translator, earning more than £65,000 over several years despite lacking proper qualifications. In another case, a court interpreter was imprisoned after assisting a criminal gang by providing false translations in court. Additionally, a legal aid fraud case exposed how inflated translation costs were used to unlawfully claim tens of thousands of pounds.
Authorities have acknowledged the issues and are working to reform the system. New contracts are being developed with the aim of improving service quality, reducing costs, and ensuring better oversight, including the introduction of additional suppliers to handle urgent and specialized language needs.
