Annual report and accounts 2024-25: Financial statements (HTML)

Question 1

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Net Expenditure

Accepted Answer

for the year ended 31 March 2025

			2024-25		2023-24
		Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	Note	£000	£000	£000	£000
Revenue from contracts with customers	3	(1,867,480)	(1,866,792)	(1,707,852)	(1,727,914)
Other operating income	4	(64,544)	(65,077)	(59,585)	(60,133)
Total operating income		(1,932,024)	(1,931,869)	(1,767,437)	(1,788,047)
Staff costs	5	4,955,266	5,238,303	4,701,233	4,965,029
Judiciary costs	5	787,844	787,844	688,759	688,759
Purchase of goods and services	6	2,993,312	2,847,875	2,742,351	2,621,004
Depreciation, amortisation and impairment	7	1,179,765	1,187,671	1,048,506	1,056,221
Legal aid-funded provisions	8	2,229,386	2,229,386	2,142,419	2,142,419
Other provision expenses	8	283,847	283,814	568,261	569,696
Net (gain)/loss on disposal of assets	9	1,084	1,392	2,050	2,098
Revaluation of non-current and financial assets	10	(7,946)	(7,946)	13,993	13,993
Other operating expenditure	11	1,795,935	1,648,952	1,688,801	1,546,867
Total operating expenditure		14,218,493	14,217,291	13,596,373	13,606,086
Net operating expenditure before financing		12,286,469	12,285,422	11,828,936	11,818,039
Finance income		(15)	(15)	(14)	(14)
Finance expense	12	55,169	55,045	32,447	32,934
Borrowing cost on provisions	20	11,280	11,280	5,061	5,061
Net operating expenditure before tax		12,352,903	12,351,732	11,866,430	11,856,020
Taxation		-	149	-	146
Net expenditure for the year		12,352,903	12,351,881	11,866,430	11,856,166
Other comprehensive net expenditure
Items that will not be reclassified to operating expenditure:
Net (gain)/loss on revaluation of:
Property, plant and equipment		(76,428)	(72,543)	(10,973)	(10,980)
Right of use assets		5,740	5,740	(1,969)	(1,969)
Intangible assets		(391)	(393)	(2,447)	(2,484)
Assets for sale		579	579	164	164
Net (gain)/loss on impairment of:
Intangible assets		85	85	-	-
Remeasurement of pension schemes:
Cafcass pension scheme		-	21,055	-	(14,104)
LSC pension scheme		2,649	2,649	22,049	22,049
By-analogy pension schemes		90	(220)	(49)	(430)
Probation pension schemes		(12,797)	(12,797)	788,534	788,534
Total comprehensive net expenditure for the year		12,272,430	12,296,036	12,661,739	12,636,946

The Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 section forms part of these accounts.

Question 2

Consolidated Statement of Financial Position

Accepted Answer

as at 31 March 2025

			2024-25		2023-24
		Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	Note	£000	£000	£000	£000
Revenue from contracts with customers	3	(1,867,480)	(1,866,792)	(1,707,852)	(1,727,914)
Other operating income	4	(64,544)	(65,077)	(59,585)	(60,133)
Total operating income		(1,932,024)	(1,931,869)	(1,767,437)	(1,788,047)
Staff costs	5	4,955,266	5,238,303	4,701,233	4,965,029
Judiciary costs	5	787,844	787,844	688,759	688,759
Purchase of goods and services	6	2,993,312	2,847,875	2,742,351	2,621,004
Depreciation, amortisation and impairment	7	1,179,765	1,187,671	1,048,506	1,056,221
Legal aid-funded provisions	8	2,229,386	2,229,386	2,142,419	2,142,419
Other provision expenses	8	283,847	283,814	568,261	569,696
Net (gain)/loss on disposal of assets	9	1,084	1,392	2,050	2,098
Revaluation of non-current and financial assets	10	(7,946)	(7,946)	13,993	13,993
Other operating expenditure	11	1,795,935	1,648,952	1,688,801	1,546,867
Total operating expenditure		14,218,493	14,217,291	13,596,373	13,606,086
Net operating expenditure before financing		12,286,469	12,285,422	11,828,936	11,818,039
Finance income		(15)	(15)	(14)	(14)
Finance expense	12	55,169	55,045	32,447	32,934
Borrowing cost on provisions	20	11,280	11,280	5,061	5,061
Net operating expenditure before tax		12,352,903	12,351,732	11,866,430	11,856,020
Taxation		-	149	-	146
Net expenditure for the year		12,352,903	12,351,881	11,866,430	11,856,166
Other comprehensive net expenditure
Items that will not be reclassified to operating expenditure:
Net (gain)/loss on revaluation of:
Property, plant and equipment		(76,428)	(72,543)	(10,973)	(10,980)
Right of use assets		5,740	5,740	(1,969)	(1,969)
Intangible assets		(391)	(393)	(2,447)	(2,484)
Assets for sale		579	579	164	164
Net (gain)/loss on impairment of:
Intangible assets		85	85	-	-
Remeasurement of pension schemes:
Cafcass pension scheme		-	21,055	-	(14,104)
LSC pension scheme		2,649	2,649	22,049	22,049
By-analogy pension schemes		90	(220)	(49)	(430)
Probation pension schemes		(12,797)	(12,797)	788,534	788,534
Total comprehensive net expenditure for the year		12,272,430	12,296,036	12,661,739	12,636,946

The Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 section forms part of these accounts.

Dr Jo Farrar CB OBE

Principal Accounting Officer

24 October 2025

Question 3

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

Accepted Answer

for the year ended 31 March 2025

			2024-25		2023-24
		Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	Note	£000	£000	£000	£000
Revenue from contracts with customers	3	(1,867,480)	(1,866,792)	(1,707,852)	(1,727,914)
Other operating income	4	(64,544)	(65,077)	(59,585)	(60,133)
Total operating income		(1,932,024)	(1,931,869)	(1,767,437)	(1,788,047)
Staff costs	5	4,955,266	5,238,303	4,701,233	4,965,029
Judiciary costs	5	787,844	787,844	688,759	688,759
Purchase of goods and services	6	2,993,312	2,847,875	2,742,351	2,621,004
Depreciation, amortisation and impairment	7	1,179,765	1,187,671	1,048,506	1,056,221
Legal aid-funded provisions	8	2,229,386	2,229,386	2,142,419	2,142,419
Other provision expenses	8	283,847	283,814	568,261	569,696
Net (gain)/loss on disposal of assets	9	1,084	1,392	2,050	2,098
Revaluation of non-current and financial assets	10	(7,946)	(7,946)	13,993	13,993
Other operating expenditure	11	1,795,935	1,648,952	1,688,801	1,546,867
Total operating expenditure		14,218,493	14,217,291	13,596,373	13,606,086
Net operating expenditure before financing		12,286,469	12,285,422	11,828,936	11,818,039
Finance income		(15)	(15)	(14)	(14)
Finance expense	12	55,169	55,045	32,447	32,934
Borrowing cost on provisions	20	11,280	11,280	5,061	5,061
Net operating expenditure before tax		12,352,903	12,351,732	11,866,430	11,856,020
Taxation		-	149	-	146
Net expenditure for the year		12,352,903	12,351,881	11,866,430	11,856,166
Other comprehensive net expenditure
Items that will not be reclassified to operating expenditure:
Net (gain)/loss on revaluation of:
Property, plant and equipment		(76,428)	(72,543)	(10,973)	(10,980)
Right of use assets		5,740	5,740	(1,969)	(1,969)
Intangible assets		(391)	(393)	(2,447)	(2,484)
Assets for sale		579	579	164	164
Net (gain)/loss on impairment of:
Intangible assets		85	85	-	-
Remeasurement of pension schemes:
Cafcass pension scheme		-	21,055	-	(14,104)
LSC pension scheme		2,649	2,649	22,049	22,049
By-analogy pension schemes		90	(220)	(49)	(430)
Probation pension schemes		(12,797)	(12,797)	788,534	788,534
Total comprehensive net expenditure for the year		12,272,430	12,296,036	12,661,739	12,636,946

The Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 section forms part of these accounts.

Question 4

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Taxpayers’ Equity for the year ended 31 March 2025

Accepted Answer

				Core department and agencies			Departmental group
		General Fund	Revaluation reserve	Total reserves	General Fund	Revaluation reserve	Total reserves
	Note	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Balance at 1 April 2024		7,419,289	4,770,790	12,190,079	7,480,670	4,771,273	12,251,943
Net parliamentary funding – drawn down		12,485,000	-	12,485,000	12,485,000	-	12,485,000
Net parliamentary funding – deemed		315,295	-	315,295	315,295	-	315,295
Grant from bodies external to the department		-	-	-	-	-	-
Unspent Supply drawn down repayable to the Consolidated Fund		(280,696)	-	(280,696)	(280,696)	-	(280,696)
Consolidated Fund standing services
- Judicial salaries		193,290	-	193,290	193,290	-	193,290
- Lord Chancellor’s salary		92	-	92	92	-	92
- Utilisation of Judicial Service Award		4,980	-	4,980	4,980	-	4,980
Consolidated Fund extra receipts (CFERs) payable to the Consolidated Fund		(22,864)	-	(22,864)	(22,864)	-	(22,864)
Net expenditure for the year	CSoCNE	(12,352,903)	-	(12,352,903)	(12,351,881)	-	(12,351,881)
Net gain/(loss) on revaluation of
- Property, plant and equipment		-	76,428	76,428	-	72,543	72,543
- Right of use assets		-	(5,740)	(5,740)	-	(5,740)	(5,740)
- Intangible assets		-	391	391	-	393	393
- Assets held for sale		-	(579)	(579)	-	(579)	(579)
Net gain/(loss) on impairment of
- Intangible assets		-	(85)	(85)	-	(85)	(85)
Remeasurement of pension schemes
- Cafcass pension scheme	25	-	-	-	(21,055)	-	(21,055)
- Legal Services Commission pension scheme	25	(2,649)	-	(2,649)	(2,649)	-	(2,649)
- By-analogy pension schemes		(90)	-	(90)	220	-	220
- Probation pension schemes	25	12,797	-	12,797	12,797	-	12,797
Non-cash adjustment
- Auditor’s remuneration	6	2,332	-	2,332	2,332	-	2,332
- Corporate overhead recharges	11	(2,978)	-	(2,978)	-	-	-
Movements in reserves
- Transfers from revaluation reserve		138,127	(138,127)	-	138,282	(138,282)	-
Other movements
Prior year OLC and LSB CFER		21,103	-	21,103	30	-	30
Intra-group transfers of non-current assets		(32,130)	-	(32,130)	-	-	-
Other		(22)	7	(15)	(125)	7	(118)
Balance at 31 March 2025		7,897,973	4,703,085	12,601,058	7,953,718	4,699,530	12,653,248

Question 5

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Taxpayers’ Equity for the year ended 31 March 2024

Accepted Answer

				Core department and agencies			Departmental group
		General Fund	Revaluation reserve	Total reserves	General Fund	Revaluation reserve	Total reserves
	Note	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Balance at 1 April 2024		7,419,289	4,770,790	12,190,079	7,480,670	4,771,273	12,251,943
Net parliamentary funding – drawn down		12,485,000	-	12,485,000	12,485,000	-	12,485,000
Net parliamentary funding – deemed		315,295	-	315,295	315,295	-	315,295
Grant from bodies external to the department		-	-	-	-	-	-
Unspent Supply drawn down repayable to the Consolidated Fund		(280,696)	-	(280,696)	(280,696)	-	(280,696)
Consolidated Fund standing services
- Judicial salaries		193,290	-	193,290	193,290	-	193,290
- Lord Chancellor’s salary		92	-	92	92	-	92
- Utilisation of Judicial Service Award		4,980	-	4,980	4,980	-	4,980
Consolidated Fund extra receipts (CFERs) payable to the Consolidated Fund		(22,864)	-	(22,864)	(22,864)	-	(22,864)
Net expenditure for the year	CSoCNE	(12,352,903)	-	(12,352,903)	(12,351,881)	-	(12,351,881)
Net gain/(loss) on revaluation of
- Property, plant and equipment		-	76,428	76,428	-	72,543	72,543
- Right of use assets		-	(5,740)	(5,740)	-	(5,740)	(5,740)
- Intangible assets		-	391	391	-	393	393
- Assets held for sale		-	(579)	(579)	-	(579)	(579)
Net gain/(loss) on impairment of
- Intangible assets		-	(85)	(85)	-	(85)	(85)
Remeasurement of pension schemes
- Cafcass pension scheme	25	-	-	-	(21,055)	-	(21,055)
- Legal Services Commission pension scheme	25	(2,649)	-	(2,649)	(2,649)	-	(2,649)
- By-analogy pension schemes		(90)	-	(90)	220	-	220
- Probation pension schemes	25	12,797	-	12,797	12,797	-	12,797
Non-cash adjustment
- Auditor’s remuneration	6	2,332	-	2,332	2,332	-	2,332
- Corporate overhead recharges	11	(2,978)	-	(2,978)	-	-	-
Movements in reserves
- Transfers from revaluation reserve		138,127	(138,127)	-	138,282	(138,282)	-
Other movements
Prior year OLC and LSB CFER		21,103	-	21,103	30	-	30
Intra-group transfers of non-current assets		(32,130)	-	(32,130)	-	-	-
Other		(22)	7	(15)	(125)	7	(118)
Balance at 31 March 2025		7,897,973	4,703,085	12,601,058	7,953,718	4,699,530	12,653,248

The Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 section forms part of these accounts.

Question 6

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025

Accepted Answer

1 a) Statement of accounting policies

1.1 Basis of preparation

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the Government Financial Reporting Manual (FReM) 2024 to 2025 issued by HM Treasury. The accounting policies contained in the FReM apply International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as adapted or interpreted for the public sector.

Where the FReM permits a choice of accounting policy, the accounting policy which is judged to be most appropriate to our circumstances for the purpose of giving a true and fair view has been selected. The policies we adopt are described below. They have been applied consistently in dealing with items that are considered material to the accounts.

The preparation of the accounts in conformity with IFRS requires the use of certain critical accounting estimates (see Note 1b).

In addition to the primary statements prepared under IFRS, the FReM requires the department to prepare a Statement of Outturn against Parliamentary Supply and supporting notes showing the outturn against estimates in terms of the net resource requirement and the net cash requirement. These are included within the parliamentary accountability section in this report.

The functional and presentational currency of the department is the British pound sterling (£).

1.2 Going concern

The FReM states that going concern for the public sector is interpreted as the anticipated continued provision of the entity’s services in the future, as evidenced by inclusion of financial provision for that service in published documents. In common with other government departments, the group’s liabilities are expected to be met by future grants of supply and the application of future income, both to be approved annually by Parliament. The department considers there is no reason to believe that future approvals will not be forthcoming. Hence, it is considered appropriate to adopt a going concern basis for the preparation of these financial statements.

1.3 Accounting convention

These accounts have been prepared on an accruals basis under the historical cost convention, modified to account for the revaluation of non-current assets, inventories, financial assets and liabilities and assets held for sale, where material.

1.4 Basis of consolidation

These accounts consolidate the core department, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) which fall within the departmental boundary as defined in the FReM and make up the departmental group. A list of entities included within the departmental boundary is given at Note 29.

Where two columns are included, the first contains amounts for the core department and its agencies and the second contains amounts for the departmental group as a whole. Accounting policies are harmonised across the group and all significant intra-departmental balances and transactions between entities within the departmental boundary are eliminated.

All consolidated entities have accounting reference dates that align with the core department.

1.5 Machinery of government changes and restatement of comparatives

There have been no machinery of government changes in the financial year 2024 to 2025 (none in financial year 2023 to 2024).

1.6 Changes in accounting policy and disclosures

a) Intangible assets are recognised in accordance with IAS 38 Intangible Assets as adapted by the FReM, incorporating early adoption of the FreM 2025 to 2026 and IAS 38 adaptation, removing the revaluation model with effect from 1 April 2024. Intangible assets in service were remeasured at the end of each reporting period using the Producer Price Index issued by the Office for National Statistics up until 31 March 2024. From 1 April 2024 all MoJ entities have been granted permission to early adopt the 2025 to 2026 FReM adaptation withdrawing the revaluation model for intangible assets. The carrying values at the transition date of 1 April 2024 are considered historical cost and will be amortised over the remaining lives of the assets.

b) New standards, amendments and interpretations issued but not effective for the financial year beginning 1 April 2024 and not early adopted:

IFRS 17 Insurance Contracts requires a discounted cash flow approach to accounting for insurance contracts. IFRS 17 is to be applied by entities for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2023. MoJ will implement the new standard when it is required to do so: IFRS 17 Insurance Contracts is being applied in the FReM from 1 April 2025, with a transition date of 1 April 2024. To assess the impact of the standard, we are reviewing contracts which meet the definition of insurance contracts.

In December 2023, HM Treasury released an exposure draft on potential changes to make to valuing and accounting for non-investment assets (such as property, plant and equipment and intangible assets). The following change to the valuation and accounting of non-investment assets is to be included in the 2025 to 2026 FReM for mandatory implementation.

References to assets being held for their ‘service potential’ and the terms ‘specialised assets’ and ‘non‑specialised assets’ are being removed from the FReM. Non-investment assets are instead described as assets held for their ‘operational capacity’. This change has no impact on the valuation basis of non-investment assets, which remains existing use value.

We do not consider that any other new or revised standard or interpretation will have a material impact.

1.7 Property, plant and equipment

Initial recognition and capitalisation threshold

Property, plant and equipment is initially recognised at cost, representing the costs directly attributable to acquiring or constructing the asset and bringing it to the location and condition necessary for it to be capable of operating in the manner intended by management. Such expenditure is capitalised where:

the asset is held for use in delivering services or for administrative purposes
it is probable that future economic benefits will flow, or service potential be provided, to us
it is expected that the asset will be used for more than one financial year
the cost of the asset can be measured reliably

The core department’s capitalisation threshold for individual assets is £10,000. The thresholds across the departmental group range from £500 to £10,000.

Where significant purchases of individual assets which are separately below the capitalisation threshold arise in connection with a single project, they are treated as a grouped asset. The core department’s capitalisation threshold for grouped assets is £1 million. The thresholds across the departmental group range from £500 to £1 million. All thresholds include irrecoverable VAT.

Subsequent valuation method

Land and buildings (including dwellings) are recorded at fair value, as interpreted by the FReM, on the basis of professional valuations, which are conducted for each property at least once every five years. These are primarily undertaken by the Valuation Office Agency using the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) appraisal and valuation manual, known as the Red Book.

In between professional valuations, carrying values are adjusted by the application of indices or through desktop valuations for which different indices are applied depending on the assets. This ensures that carrying values are not materially different from those that would be determined at the end of the reporting period. For buildings, the index applied is the Building Cost Information Service All-In Tender Price Index that reflects price changes in the construction sector and is a good indicator of price pressure in building contracts in the UK.

Criminal courts, prisons and some parts of the probation estate are mostly classified as specialised buildings which cannot be sold on the open market. For specialised assets, current value in existing use is interpreted as the present value of the asset’s remaining service potential, which is assumed to be at least equal to the cost of replacing that service potential. Specialised assets are therefore valued at their depreciated replacement cost on a modern equivalent asset basis in accordance with the FReM and RICS guidance, taking into account the functional obsolescence of the property and other assumptions. A modern equivalent asset basis assumes that the asset will be replaced with a modern asset of equivalent capacity and location requirements of the services being provided.

Non-specialised properties are valued based on existing use or market value where there is an open market valuation for such properties.

Assets which are held for their service potential and are in use (operational assets used to deliver either frontline services or back-office functions) are measured at their current value in existing use.

Assets that were most recently held for their service potential but are surplus with no plan to bring them back into use are valued at current value in existing use where there are restrictions which would prevent access to the market at the reporting date. If we can access the market, then the surplus asset is valued at fair value in accordance with IFRS 13 Fair Value Measurement.

Where there is a clear plan to bring an unused asset back into future use as an operational asset, the asset is not considered as surplus and is maintained at current value in existing use.

Assets are revalued and depreciation commences when the assets are brought into use. IT equipment, transport equipment, furniture and fittings, and plant and machinery that are held for operational use are valued at depreciated historic cost where these assets have short useful lives or low values or both, as this is not considered to be materially different from current value in existing use.

Fair value hierarchy and inputs

The valuation technique applied to all fair value figures of surplus properties is the market approach in accordance with IFRS 13. It uses prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical or comparable (similar) assets.

The inputs to this technique constitute level 2 inputs in each instance. Level 2 inputs are observable for the asset, either directly or indirectly. The inputs used take the form of analysed and weighted market evidence such as sales, rentals and yields in respect of comparable properties in the same or similar locations at or around the valuation date.

For other property assets in continuing use, fair value is interpreted as market value or ‘value in use’. In the Red Book, this is defined as ‘market value’ on the assumption that property is sold as part of the continuing enterprise in occupation. The ‘value in use’ of a non-cash-generating asset is the present value of the asset’s remaining service potential, which can be assumed to be at least equal to the cost of replacing that service potential.

Depreciated historical cost is used as a proxy for fair value for those assets with short useful lives or low values, as allowed by the FReM.

Revaluation

Gains arising on revaluation are credited to the revaluation reserve and shown in other comprehensive net expenditure, unless they reverse a revaluation decrease on the same asset. Reversals are credited to the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Net Expenditure (CSoCNE) to the extent of the previous amount expensed, and any excess is credited to the revaluation reserve.

A revaluation decrease, reversal or revaluation increase (other than as a result of a permanent diminution) is reversed against any existing amount held in the revaluation reserve in respect of that same asset, with any residual decrease taken to net operating expenditure in the CSoCNE.

When an asset’s carrying value decreases as a result of a permanent diminution in the value of the asset due to a clear consumption of economic benefit or service potential, the decrease is charged directly to operating expenditure in the CSoCNE, with any remaining revaluation reserves balance released to the General Fund.

Each year the difference between depreciation based on the revalued carrying amount of the asset charged to the CSoCNE and depreciation based on the asset’s original cost is transferred from the revaluation reserve to the General Fund.

Depreciation

Items of property, plant and equipment are depreciated over their remaining useful economic lives in a manner consistent with the consumption of economic or service delivery benefits.

Depreciation is charged on a straight-line basis at rates calculated to write-off the value of assets, less estimated residual value, evenly over their estimated useful lives. The useful lives of buildings are reviewed annually. Where a change in asset life is determined, the asset is depreciated on a straight-line basis over its remaining assessed life. Depreciation commences in the month following the acquisition of a non-current asset for land, buildings and dwellings and in-month for all other non-current assets.

If an item of property, plant and equipment comprises two or more significant components, with substantially different useful lives, each component is treated separately for depreciation purposes and depreciated over its individual useful life.

Estimated useful asset lives are within the following ranges:

Freehold land	Not depreciated
Leasehold land	Remaining lease period
Freehold buildings (including dwellings)	Shorter of remaining life or 60 years
Leasehold buildings (including dwellings)	Shortest of remaining life, remaining lease period or 60 years
Information technology	Shorter of remaining life or 3 to 15 years
Plant and equipment	Shorter of remaining life or 3 to 15 years
Furniture, fixtures and fittings	Shorter of remaining life or 3 to 20 years

Assets under construction

Assets under construction are valued at historical cost within property, plant and equipment and intangible assets, and are not depreciated or amortised until completed. On completion, the asset’s carrying value is transferred to the respective asset category.

Expenditure is capitalised where it is directly attributable to bringing an asset into working condition, such as external consultant costs, relevant employee costs and an appropriate portion of relevant overheads.

1.8 Intangible assets

Intangible assets comprise internally developed software for internal use (including such assets under construction), software developed by third parties, and purchased software licences. As at 31 March 2025, we did not identify any software as a service, or any other cloud-based, right of use assets.

Software developed internally or by third parties

Development costs that are directly attributable to the design and testing of identifiable and unique software products controlled by MoJ are capitalised when they meet the criteria specified in the FReM, which has been adapted from IAS 38 Intangible Assets. Other expenditure that does not meet these criteria is recognised as an expense as incurred.

The useful lives of internally developed software range from one to 15 years. In accordance with IAS 38 Intangible Assets, MoJ reviews the useful economic lives of its intangible assets each financial year.

MoJ utilises an agile development approach. For each module of information technology (IT), amortisation begins when it is ready for its intended use, regardless of whether the IT will be placed into service in planned stages that may extend beyond a reporting period. If the functionality of a module is entirely dependent on the completion of other modules, amortisation begins when both that module and the other modules upon which it is functionally dependent are ready for their intended use.

Purchased software licences

Purchased software licences are recognised when it is probable that future service potential will flow to MoJ and the cost of the licence can be measured reliably. Such licences are initially measured at cost. Purchased software licences are amortised over the licence period.

The capitalisation thresholds across the departmental group range from £500 to £250,000 (including irrecoverable VAT).

Per paragraph 1.6, from 1 April 2024 all MoJ entities have been granted permission to early adopt the 2025 to 2026 FReM adaptation withdrawing the revaluation model for intangible assets. The carrying values at the transition date of 1 April 2024 are considered historical cost and will be amortised over the remaining lives of the assets.

1.9 Impairment

Impairments are recognised in accordance with IAS 36 Impairment of Assets, as adapted by the FReM.

An impairment reflects a diminution in the value of an asset as a result of a clear consumption of economic benefits or service potential. At each reporting date, MoJ assesses all assets for indications of impairment. If any such indications exist, the assets in question are tested for impairment by comparing the carrying value of those assets with their recoverable amounts.

If the recoverable amount of an asset is less than its carrying value, the carrying value of the asset is reduced to its recoverable amount. The recoverable amount of an asset is the higher of its ‘fair value less costs to sell’ and ‘value in use’ (as defined above).

When an asset’s carrying value decreases as a result of a permanent diminution in the value of the asset due to a clear consumption of economic benefit or service potential, the decrease is charged directly to net operating costs in the CSoCNE. If the asset has previously been revalued, any remaining revaluation reserve balance (up to the level of the impairment loss) is released to the General Fund.

At each reporting date we review impairment losses recognised in previous years. Any reversal of an impairment loss is recognised in the CSoCNE to the extent that the original charge, adjusted for subsequent depreciation, was previously recognised, with any remaining amount recognised in the revaluation reserve.

1.10 Non-current assets held for sale

Assets held for sale are stated at the lower of their carrying amount immediately prior to classification as ‘held for sale’ or their fair value less the costs of selling the asset. Any subsequent impairment or reversal of impairment is recognised in the CSoCNE. Assets classified as held for sale are not depreciated.

1.11 Leases

IFRS 16 requires a lessee to recognise assets and liabilities for all leases (apart from the exemptions listed below).

Scope and exclusions – the departmental group as lessee

In accordance with IFRS 16 Leases, contracts, or parts of contracts, that convey the right to control the use of an asset for a period of time are accounted for as leases.

As adapted by the FReM, IFRS 16 has also been applied to leases with nil or nominal (that is, significantly below market value) consideration and arrangements for sharing accommodation between government departments.

MoJ defines the lease term as the non-cancellable period for which a lessee has the right to use an underlying asset, together with both:

periods covered by an option to extend the lease if the lessee is reasonably certain to exercise that option
periods covered by an option to terminate the lease if the lessee is reasonably certain not to exercise that option

When making the above assessments, MoJ excludes two types of leases:

those relating to low value items, which it considers as those where the underlying asset would have a cost of less than £10,000 when new, provided those items are not highly dependent on or integrated with other items
contracts whose term is less than 12 months

At inception or on reassessment of a contract that contains a lease component, MoJ assesses whether it is reasonably certain to exercise break options or extension options at the lease commencement date. MoJ reassesses this if there are significant events or changes in circumstances that were not anticipated. In the event that a lease contract has expired, but MoJ remains in occupation pending negotiations for a renewed term, the lease term has been measured as the estimated time until the new contract will be agreed.

Initial recognition – the departmental group as lessee

At the commencement of a lease, the department recognises a right of use asset and a lease liability. Under HM Treasury’s IFRS 16 application guidance, the measurement of lease payments excludes any VAT payable and irrecoverable VAT is expensed at the point it falls due, in line with IFRIC 21 Levies. If the VAT element cannot be clearly identified from lease invoices, the lease liability and right of use asset are measured using the gross value of invoices for remaining lease payments.

Lease liability

The lease liability is measured at the value of the remaining lease payments discounted either by the interest rate implicit in the lease or, where this is not readily determinable, the department’s incremental rate of borrowing. This rate is advised annually by HM Treasury: 4.72% for leases that commenced, transitioned or were remeasured in the 2024 calendar year (2023: 3.51%).

Where a lease includes variable lease payments tied to an inflation index, this is included in the measurement by inflating using HM Treasury’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rates as published in the Public Expenditure System papers for the relevant year. This is the approach set out in the FReM IFRS 16 application guidance.

Right of use asset

The right of use asset is measured at the value of the lease liability, adjusted for:

any lease payments made before the commencement date
any lease incentives received
any incremental costs of obtaining the lease
any costs of removing the asset and restoring the site at the end of the lease

However, in accordance with the FReM, where the lease requires nil or nominal consideration (usually referred to as a ‘peppercorn’ lease), the asset will instead be measured at its existing use value, using market prices or rentals for equivalent land and properties, with the difference between the carrying amount of the right of use asset and lease liability treated as notional income.

Enhancements to leased assets, such as alterations to a leased building, are not classified within right of use assets but are classified as property, plant and equipment in accordance with the FReM.

Subsequent measurement – the departmental group as lessee

After initial recognition, the right of use asset will be measured using the fair value model. The departmental group considers that the cost model (measurement by reference to the lease liability) is a reasonable proxy for fair value, in the case of non-property leases, and also for property leases of less than five years or with regular rent reviews. For other leases, the asset will be carried at a revalued amount.

The lease liability will be adjusted for the accrual of interest, repayments, reassessments and modifications. Reassessments are reappraisals of the probability of the options given by the existing lease contract, for example where we no longer expect to exercise an option, while modifications are changes to the lease contract. Reassessments and modifications are accounted for by either by:

recalculating the lease term under any new contract terms, taking account of the reasonable certainty or otherwise of exercising an option
applying a new discount rate where applicable

Expenditure charged to the CSoCNE for each financial year includes interest on the lease liability and a straight-line depreciation charge on the right of use asset over the life of the lease, together with any impairment of the right of use asset and any change in variable lease payments, that was not included in the measurement of the lease payments during the period in which the triggering event occurred. Lease payments are debited against the liability. Rental payments in respect of leases of low value items, or with a term under 12 months, are also expensed.

Estimates and judgements

In assessing the lease MoJ needs to make estimates and judgements:

where a lease is embedded in a contract for services, the amount to be recognised as the right of use asset and lease liability should be the standalone price of the lease component only – where this is not readily observable, a determination will be made by reference for other observable data, such as the fair value of similar assets or price of contracts for similar non-lease components
MoJ has determined the lease term by assessing the level of certainty as to whether termination or extension options will be exercised – in making these judgements, reliance has been placed on the professional judgement of estates staff, supported by information on corporate asset management plans, other business strategies, investment already made in the underlying asset, ongoing business needs and market conditions
MoJ has determined that the cost model is a reasonable proxy for fair value in most cases because the rents payable are aligned to open market rates – in the case of longer leases, where there are not regular rent reviews, there is a greater chance of divergence between cost and fair value, hence a professional revaluation is appropriate
MoJ also leases various non-property assets such as vehicles and IT equipment – it has determined that, at the present time, all non-property leases which are not individually low value are immaterial and consequently, no non-property leases have been recognised in these accounts

1.12 Service concession arrangements

Service concession arrangements (SCAs), including private finance initiative (PFI) arrangements, are where private sector operators are contractually obliged to provide services to the public in relation to certain infrastructure assets.

MoJ recognises the infrastructure asset at fair value (or the present value of the future minimum infrastructure payments, if lower) as a non-current asset in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position (CSoFP) with a corresponding liability for future payments under the agreement, following the principles contained within IFRS 16. As per the FReM, this approach means the liability is remeasured whenever there is a change in future lease payments resulting from a change in an index/rate used to determine those payments.

For budgeting purposes, SCAs are evaluated according to the balance of risks and reward of ownership as defined by European System of Accounts 10. This means that some SCAs recognised in the accounts are treated differently for budgetary purposes against HM Treasury budgeting controls.

1.13 Employee benefits

Short-term benefits such as salaries and wages or post-employment benefits resulting from employment and long-term benefits such as long service awards, including termination benefits (for example early departure costs) and pension benefits, are recognised at the cost of providing the benefit in the period in which it is earned by the employee, rather than when it is paid or becomes payable.

IAS 19 Employee Benefits requires MoJ to recognise the expected cost of the annual leave entitlement of its employees that is accrued at the end of each financial year.

Defined benefit pension schemes

PCSPS and Judicial Pension Scheme

The provisions of the PCSPS cover most past and present employees. Salaried and fee-paid judicial office holders are covered by the Judicial Pension Scheme (JPS). Both the PCSPS and the JPS are unfunded defined benefit schemes although, in accordance with the FReM section 8.2 adaptation of IAS 19, the department accounts for these as defined contribution schemes and recognises contributions it pays as an expense in the year in which they are incurred. The legal or constructive obligation is limited to the amount that it agrees to contribute to the fund.

The department is responsible for the administration of the JPS that provides for the pension entitlements of salaried and fee-paid judicial office holders of eight other participating bodies.

Provisions have been recognised in the department’s accounts for the liability to fee-paid judicial office holders in respect of the Judicial Service Award as this cannot be paid by the JPS in accordance with its governing regulations.

The JPS is not consolidated within these accounts and further information can be found in the JPS accounts.

Further information about these provisions is set out in Note 20.

Funded pension schemes

Unlike the schemes described above, funded pension schemes are accounted for through the department’s CSoFP, applying IAS 19 Employee Benefits in full. These accounts contain the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) for HMPPS probation staff and past employees of the probation trusts (including those who transferred to community rehabilitation companies and/or community rehabilitation services), Cafcass and the Legal Services Commission Pension Scheme (LSCPS). The cost of providing benefits is determined using the projected unit credit method, with formal actuarial valuations being carried out at the end of every third reporting period (the most recent valuations being as at 31 March 2022). The results of the valuations as at 31 March 2022, including the roll forward for the financial year 2024 to 2025, were reflected in the 2024 to 2025 accounts.

Past employees of the probation trusts, and LGPS probation staff who transferred to community rehabilitation companies and HMPPS National Probation Service, are covered by the provisions of LGPS via one pension fund administered by the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF). The Secretary of State for Justice has provided a guarantee to GMPF in respect of the community rehabilitation services’ participation in the GMPF for pension liabilities that transferred to the community rehabilitation services.

The liability or asset recognised in the CSoFP is the present value of the defined benefit obligation less the fair value of plan assets at the reporting date. The present value of the obligation is determined by discounting estimated future cash outflows using rates as advised by the scheme actuary. In between formal actuarial valuations, the obligation is approximated by adjusting the most recent full valuation using latest available membership data.

Remeasurements (comprising actuarial gains and losses), the effect of the asset ceiling (including irrecoverable surplus adjustments), and the return on plan assets (excluding interest) are recognised within other comprehensive expenditure in full in the period in which they arise. Service costs are recognised in the CSoCNE and are spread systematically over the working lives of the employees. The net interest charge in the CSoCNE reflects the unwinding of the discount applied to the net liabilities of the scheme.

IAS 19 requires that the discount rate is determined by reference to market yields at the end of the reporting period, on high-quality AA corporate bonds of a currency and duration consistent with the currency and duration of the benefit obligations.

Under the requirements of IFRIC 14 The Limit on a Defined Benefit Asset, Minimum Funding Requirements and their Interaction, the value of any net pension surplus which was determined under IAS 19 is limited in the financial statements to reflect that the full economic benefit of a surplus is not realisable. This restriction is known as the asset ceiling.

In the case of the LSCPS, MoJ is able to recognise a pension asset as it has an unconditional right to a refund from the Legal Services Commission during the life of the plan. MoJ can elect to withdraw money out of the fund, to the extent that the funding level does not drop below 105%. Therefore, in the event of a surplus no asset ceiling is applied.

Further detail on the application of IFRIC 14 is included in Note 25.

Other defined benefit pension schemes

The department has separate schemes that are ‘by-analogy’ or similar to the PCSPS. However, they are funded by provisions from the department’s vote and pension payments are administered by the department and made via the payroll system.

Early departure and injury benefit costs

The department is required to pay the additional cost of benefits beyond the normal PCSPS and LGPS benefits in respect of employees who retire early. The total cost is provided in full when the early departure programme has been announced and is binding on the department.

The Civil Service Injury Benefits Scheme requires the department to pay benefits to any individual who is injured in connection with their employment. Benefits are paid only in respect of loss of earning capacity, and a provision is made for expected future costs.

The early departure and injury benefit provisions are discounted using the rate disclosed in Note 1.18.

1.14 Income

Income is generated directly from the operating activities of the departmental group and includes both budgetary and non-budgetary income. Non-budgetary income is outside the ambit of the departmental group and is surrendered to the Consolidated Fund as CFERs (refer to Annex A, SOPS 4).

Income is stated net of VAT and comprises mainly fees and charges for services which are set on a full cost recovery basis.

MoJ recognises revenue from a number of different sources, primarily from:

HMCTS fees
LAA civil representation and criminal case recoveries
OPG fees (largely power of attorney fees)
HMPPS income (largely prison-related)
recoveries from other government departments

Fee income

HMCTS fee income

The majority of fees paid to HMCTS are for an application to commence the administration of a process or, to a lesser extent, for a court process or for a particular stage of the administration of the court process. The payment of a fee does not convey the right to a decision, or a particular outcome from the court, nor does it set out the timescale or process which will be followed by the court or tribunal, which is at the discretion of the judge. It is a fundamental principle of an independent judiciary that judges do not hold performance obligations to individuals or organisations in relation to court and tribunal activities.

The power to charge fees is conferred by section 92 of the Courts Acts 2003, and the power to charge enhanced fees is conferred by section 180 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014. This is the legislation against which HMCTS assesses its performance obligations. This legislation also provides for statutory instruments to set out a price list for the fees to be charged. These statutory instruments, determined in the FReM adaption as contracts under IFRS 15, are interpreted as the performance obligations on HMCTS in respect of the individual fees charged. This does not place a performance obligation on the judiciary.

HMCTS has therefore adopted an income policy which recognises that in the administration of the courts system, HMCTS, whose role is to support the judiciary in their administration of justice, bears a responsibility to applicants to ensure their application is progressed on receipt of the correct fee.

In recognition of this obligation, HMCTS defers most of its revenue until the issue of an application is completed, or any other obligations are completed that are required as part of the relevant statutory instrument.

Civil fees make up the majority of HMCTS income and can be disaggregated into broad jurisdictional categories. Within each category, there are three significant common performance recognition points: issue, hearing and enforcement.

OPG fee income

For OPG fees and charges, revenue from contracts with customers comprises fees for services which are set based on an OPG full cost recovery basis. Fee income consists of amounts for services rendered from power of attorney applications, supervision of court appointed deputies, and copies of power of attorney certificates.

Fines and penalties

MoJ also collects fines, criminal court charges and fixed penalties imposed by the judiciary or police and is permitted to retain part of the value of fines and penalties collected. The HMCTS Trust Statement accounts for fines and penalties imposed by the criminal justice system as revenue ultimately payable to the Consolidated Fund, on a gross basis. It also accounts for the cash and balances payable to the Consolidated Fund and third parties in relation to the collection of the fines and penalties amounts.

As there are no specific performance obligations associated with receiving revenue from fines and penalties, the revenue is considered to be a non-exchange transaction and therefore outside the scope of IFRS 15. They are measured at the fair value of amounts received, or receivable, net of judicial cancellations and remissions. Revenue is recognised at the full value of the imposition when a fine or penalty is validly imposed and an obligation to pay arises. Where a penalty is cancelled due to attendance at a training course, as a result of an appeal or for other legal reasons or as a result of settlement by other valid means including imprisonment, revenue is derecognised and the derecognition of revenue is recorded as a reduction against revenue.

The victim surcharge

An additional surcharge is added to fines that are imposed. HMCTS is responsible for collecting the victim surcharge and passing the receipts to MoJ justice reform directorate to fund victims’ services. Revenue is recognised on the same basis as fines.

Recoveries from other government departments and income from the NHS and other healthcare providers

Recoveries from other government departments relate to the recharge of expenditure to other government departments. HMPPS receives income from the NHS in relation to healthcare funding and from the Home Office in relation to immigration removal centres. HMCTS receives funding from the Department for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs in respect of the operations of the First Tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support). The performance obligation is met, and the revenue recognised, at the time that the services are rendered or goods delivered.

Retail sales

Retail income is generated within HMPPS from retail sales in prison shops. Revenue is recognised at the point the goods are received by the prisoner.

Levy income of the Office of Legal Complaints (OLC) and Legal Services Board (LSB)

The Legal Services Act 2007 (the Act) makes provision for the costs of OLC and LSB to be recovered through the imposition of a levy on the legal profession’s approved regulators. In accounting for levy income, section 175 of the Act requires all levy income collected by OLC and LSB to be surrendered to the Consolidated Fund. In return, OLC and LSB receive grant-in-aid funding from the core department equal to the income surrendered. Accordingly, a notional transfer to the Consolidated Fund has been shown in the Statement of Changes in Taxpayers’ Equity and an equal amount is shown as a notional grant-in-aid receipt from MoJ as the sponsoring department.

LSB and OLC, in conjunction with the department and HM Treasury, are seeking to identify a suitable legislative vehicle to make an amendment to section 175 of the 2007 Act to enable them to retain the levy income and not surrender it in return for an equal grant.

Other income

Through HMPPS, the department receives a financial allocation for delivery of resettlement services to offenders. The funding is used to support offenders considered hard to reach, in both custody and community settings, to increase employability and provide opportunities to access mainstream services. Funding is matched to eligible expenditure on an accruals basis. The performance obligation is met and income recognised when expenditure is incurred that meets the funding payment criteria.

1.15 Grants payable and paid

Grant-in-aid financing to the department’s NDPBs is reported on a cash basis in the period in which payments are made. Co-funding grants from other government departments are paid to NDPBs via the core department and are included as part of the grant-in-aid funding for the year. All grant-in-aid and supply funding made by the core department to its agencies and NDPBs is fully eliminated within the departmental group.

The department also makes a small number of grants to a variety of public sector, private sector and voluntary bodies. These grants are recognised at the point at which an authorised request is received from the recipient body, in accordance with the terms of the relevant financial memoranda.

1.16 Costs borne by the Consolidated Fund

The salary and social security costs of senior judges are included in these accounts as a cost and are funded from the Consolidated Fund. Senior judges also receive service award payments under an agreement with the department which are paid from the Consolidated Fund.

1.17 Notional costs

Notional costs comprise statutory auditors’ remuneration, which represents the National Audit Office’s cost for the audit of the department and executive agencies’ accounts. Such notional costs are credited directly to the General Fund.

Costs for corporate overheads are also notionally recharged to business areas. The majority of the notional recharge costs relate to IT services, estates costs, and shared services processing charges that are centrally managed on behalf of the group and are eliminated on consolidation.

1.18 Provisions

Provisions are recognised in accordance with IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets.

Provisions are measured at the present value of the expenditures expected to be required to settle the obligation. Where the effect of discounting is material, provisions are measured at their present value using the current discount rates set by HM Treasury based on the underlying cash flows: 4.03%, 4.07% and 4.81% for short-term, medium-term and long-term cash flows, respectively.

Early departure and injury benefit provisions are discounted using the HM Treasury post-employment benefits real discount rate of 2.40% (financial year 2023 to 2024: 2.45%).

1.19 Contingent assets and liabilities

A contingent liability is disclosed when the likelihood of a payment is less than probable, but more than remote, or the obligation cannot be measured reliably. Where the time value of money is material, contingent liabilities required to be disclosed under IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets are stated at discounted amounts.

A contingent asset is a potential asset that arises from past events and whose existence will be confirmed only by the occurrence or non-occurrence of one or more uncertain future events not wholly within the control of MoJ. A contingent asset is disclosed where an inflow of economic benefits is probable.

1.20 Value Added Tax

Most of MoJ’s activities are outside the scope of VAT and, in general, output tax does not apply and input tax on purchases is not recoverable, except as allowed by HM Treasury’s contracting out direction. Irrecoverable VAT is charged to the relevant expenditure category or included in the capitalised purchase costs of non-current assets, except leases (which are discussed in Note 1.11). Where output tax is charged or input tax is recoverable, the amounts are stated net of VAT.

1.21 Third-party assets

MoJ holds, as custodian or trustee, certain assets belonging to third parties. In line with FReM requirements, these assets are not recognised in the CSoFP and are disclosed within Note 28 since neither the department nor the government has a direct beneficial interest in them.

1.22 Financial instruments

Recognition

Financial assets and financial liabilities, which arise from contracts for the purchase and sale of non-financial items (such as goods or services) and are entered into in accordance with MoJ’s normal purchase, sale or usage requirements, are recognised when, and to the extent to which, performance occurs. All other financial assets and liabilities are recognised when MoJ becomes party to the contractual provisions to receive or make cash payments.

De-recognition

Financial assets are de-recognised when the contractual rights to receive future cash flows have expired or MoJ has transferred substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity. Financial liabilities are de-recognised when the obligation is discharged, cancelled or expires.

Classification and measurement of financial assets

In addition to cash and cash equivalents, MoJ has two categories of financial assets.

Financial assets at fair value through profit and loss

Fair value is equal to the market value at the reporting date, and the movement in the value of the assets is recognised immediately in the CSoCNE, as income or as an expense.

Receivables relating to LAA’s statutory charge are measured at fair value in line with the requirements of IFRS 13 Fair Value Measurement as they are not solely payments of principal and interest and therefore do not meet the tests set out in IFRS 9. The practical application of IFRS 13 with regard to LAA’s assets applies the consideration of the three hierarchies set under the standard for determining fair value. This is explained in further detail in LAA’s annual report and accounts 2024 to 2025, including detail regarding key assumptions which support the most significant fair value estimates.

MoJ, through HMPPS, holds share investments of £0.25 million (financial year 2023 to 2024: £0.2 million) in milk companies due to the milk-producing prison farms run by HMPPS at HMP Usk. They are held as financial assets at fair value through profit and loss. Fair value is equal to market value at the reporting date, and the movement in the value of assets is recognised immediately in the CSoCNE, as income or as an expense.

Financial assets at amortised cost

Cash and trade and other receivables are held at amortised cost. For assets at amortised cost, the amortised cost balance was reduced where appropriate by an allowance for amounts which were considered to be impaired or uncollectable.

MoJ recognises a provision for expected credit losses on financial assets measured at amortised cost. Any interest receivable or loss arising on impairment is recognised in the CSoCNE.

Trade receivables are generally due for settlement within 30 days and are therefore classed as current. A proportion of MoJ’s receivables relate to other government departments and other public bodies. These bodies are funded by Parliament and there is historical evidence to show that this debt is collected. MoJ is therefore not exposed to significant credit risk on these balances.

Receivables that are not due from other public bodies are grouped together for the purpose of working out the expected credit loss. For trade receivables with no significant financing components, IFRS 9 Financial Instruments allows an entity to use a simplified method for calculating expected losses using historical default rates over the expected life of the trade receivables and adjusting for forward-looking estimates. Receivables are shown net of expected credit loss using this approach.

Impairment of financial assets

At the end of each reporting period, MoJ assesses whether there is objective evidence that a financial asset or a group of financial assets is impaired. If there is objective evidence that an impairment loss on such an asset has been incurred, MoJ recognises this in the CSoCNE as the difference between the asset’s carrying amount and the present value of estimated future cash flows.

Classification and measurement – financial liabilities

MoJ has financial liabilities, comprising finance lease liabilities, trade payables, other payables and accruals. All financial liabilities are recognised initially at fair value, net of any transaction costs incurred, and then measured at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method. Where the effect is material, the estimated cash flows of financial liabilities are discounted.

1.23 Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents recorded in the CSoFP and Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less at inception, and bank overdrafts.

1 b) Critical accounting estimates and judgements

MoJ makes estimates and assumptions concerning the future. The resulting accounting estimates will, by definition, seldom equal the actual results. Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

Critical accounting estimates and assumptions

The preparation of the financial statements requires the use of judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenditure during the reporting period. The estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year are addressed below.

Revaluation and impairment of non-current assets

Subsequent to initial recognition land and buildings (including dwellings) are recorded at current existing use value, as interpreted by the FReM, based on professional valuations which are conducted for each property at least once every five years by the Valuation Office Agency, who are independent of MoJ, in accordance with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Appraisal and Valuation Manual. The value of land and buildings fluctuates with changes in construction costs and the current market conditions.

The majority of operational buildings are specialised and are therefore valued at depreciated replacement cost to a modern equivalent basis. This modern equivalent is assumed to be in the same location with the same internal area as the existing property. All other buildings are measured at fair value determined from market-based evidence.

All assets other than land and buildings and assets under construction are revalued at each reporting date using the Producer Price Index prepared by the Office for National Statistics.

Intangible assets include internally generated software and software licences. Internally generated software is initially recognised as assets under construction in the financial statements based on the cost (for example capitalised staff and consultancy costs) of creating that software, which could be a bespoke IT system or a modified existing system. When the system becomes available for use, the asset is transferred to intangible IT and an impairment review is carried out. Subsequently, these assets are valued on a historical cost basis and are amortised over the remaining lives of the assets.

The carrying amounts of these assets are shown in Notes 13, 15 and 16.

Right of use assets

The cost model has been determined as a reasonable proxy for fair value in most cases because the rents payable are aligned to open market rates. In the case of longer leases where there are not regular rent reviews, there is a greater chance of divergence between cost and fair value, hence a professional revaluation is appropriate.

In the event that a lease contract has expired, but MoJ remains in occupation pending negotiations for a renewed term, the lease term has been measured as the estimated time until the new contract will be agreed.

Net pension assets and liabilities

The present value of the net pension liability detailed in Note 25 depends on a number of actuarially derived assumptions about inflation, salary and pension trends, discount factors and mortality rates. The estimated net liability or asset is subject to fluctuation and uncertainty due to changes in these assumptions over time and differences between assumptions and actual events. Sensitivity analysis in relation to the key assumptions used in the calculation of the gross pension liability is also provided in Note 25.

In between formal actuarial valuations, the obligation is approximated by adjusting the most recent full valuation using latest available membership data. Where this net position is a surplus, IFRIC 14 The Limit on a Defined Benefit Asset, Minimum Funding Requirements and their Interaction is applied and limits that surplus by means of an asset ceiling to reflect that the full economic benefit is not realisable by the agency. Note 25 also includes further detail on the application of IFRIC 14.

The pension liabilities for the financial year 2024 to 2025 reflect the appropriate assumptions. The discount rate at 31 March 2025 reflects the yield on high-quality corporate bonds. All assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis, and at least annually.

Provisions for liabilities and charges

The recognition and measurement of provisions rely on the application of professional judgement, historical experience, and other factors expected to influence future events. Where the likelihood of a liability crystallising is deemed probable and can be measured with reasonable certainty, a provision is recognised. Provision balances which contain regular, homogeneous transactions are often derived from complex financial models. Estimates and assumptions applied in these models are continually evaluated and reviewed. Further information is set out in Note 20.

LAA financial assets

LAA recognises an impairment for expected credit losses on financial assets measured at amortised cost under IFRS 9 Financial Instruments. This includes receivables from legal aid providers and clients who are not subject to the statutory charge. Subsequent to initial recognition, at fair value, these assets are carried at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method, less any impairment. Any interest receivable or loss arising on impairment is recognised in the CSoCNE.

LAA derecognises a financial asset only when the contractual rights to the cash flows for the asset expire, or it transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity.

For assets held at amortised cost, IFRS 9 requires LAA to recognise at amortised cost and to then recognise expected credit losses based on historic experience and adjusted for reasonable and supportable forward-looking information such as management’s assessment of likely recoveries. This assessment may be of individual assets (individual impairment) or of a portfolio of assets (collective impairment). An assessment of collective impairment is made of financial assets with similar risk characteristics. For these assets, LAA’s previous experience of losses in each portfolio is used to estimate the degree of impairment on that asset class.

Where such an estimate is made, impairment provisions are made to reduce the carrying value of financial assets accordingly. LAA applies the ‘simplified model’ and recognises lifetime expected credit losses.

The measurement of expected credit loss involves complexity and judgement. Further detail on the valuation model used to generate this estimate and the actual impairments against LAA’s receivables is included in Note 24 to these financial statements.

Default is determined by reference to one or more missed contractual payments but also includes arrangements in place to pay less than contractual payments, fraud and bankruptcy or other indicators. The key areas in which management make estimations and assumptions are trade and other receivables (Note 17 and Note 24) and provisions for liabilities and charges (Note 20).

Critical judgements in applying accounting policies

LAA financial assets

The estimates and associated assumptions included within the financial statements are based on data held by LAA, historical experience and various other factors. These are believed to provide a reasonable basis on which the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources can be estimated.

The key areas in which management make estimations and assumptions are trade and other receivables (Note 17 and Note 24) and provisions for liabilities and charges (Note 20).

SCAs

The classification of arrangements as SCAs requires MoJ to determine, based on an evaluation of the terms and conditions of the arrangements, whether it controls the infrastructure. Where MoJ is judged to control the infrastructure, the contract assets are reflected in the CSoFP.

2. Operating expenditure by operating segment

Under IFRS 8, operating segments are reported in a manner consistent with the internal reporting provided to the Chief Operating Decision Maker – that is, categorised according to business group.

The Chief Operating Decision Maker, who is responsible for allocating resources and assessing performance of the operating segments, has been identified as the Executive Committee. The segmental analysis presents the financial information based on the structure reported to the Executive Committee.

The segments are:

centrally held – centrally managed budgets and the departmental unallocated provision
policy and corporate services – departmental headquarters functions and the department’s NDPBs
HMCTS
HMPPS
other delivery agencies – LAA, OPG and CICA

The Executive Committee does not receive a CSoFP analysed by operating segment and therefore such an analysis is not presented here.

2. Operating expenditure by operating segment (continued)

						2024-25
	Centrally held	Policy and corporate services	HMCTS	HMPPS	Other delivery agencies	Gross total (pre-eliminations)
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Income
Income from external customers	(873)	(131,237)	(69,516)	(257,132)	(72,175)	(530,933)
Internal MoJ income	-	(188,902)	(2)	-	(199)	(189,103)
Interest	-	(595)	(15)	-	-	(610)
EU grants	-	-	-	(44,918)	-	(44,918)
CFERs	(22,864)	-	-	-	-	(22,864)
Fee income	(349,769)	(30,000)	(830,161)	-	(126,022)	(1,335,952)
Total income	(373,506)	(350,734)	(899,694)	(302,050)	(198,396)	(2,124,380)
Expenditure
Staff costs	8,194	875,402	725,345	3,479,323	150,171	5,238,435
Judiciary costs	97	9,926	777,821	-	-	787,844
Accommodation, maintenance and utilities	-	36,300	336,029	779,557	6,324	1,158,210
Offender-related costs	-	-	-	815,319	-	815,319
Service concession charges	-	-	36,759	757,079	-	793,838
IT services and telecommunications (non‑SCAs)	346	248,671	238,276	62,262	1,049	550,604
Contracted probation services (community rehabilitation companies)	-	-	-	99,219	-	99,219
Payments of grant-in-aid to MoJ NDPBs (eliminated on consolidation)	-	353,736	-	-	-	353,736
Cost of legal services and disbursements (civil)	-	-	-	-	8,756	8,756
Cost of legal services and disbursements (crime)	-	-	-	-	6,765	6,765
Provisions provided for in year	(36,197)	(693)	(3,185)	24,894	298,995	283,814
Legal aid-funded provisions	-	-	-	-	2,229,386	2,229,386
Rentals under operating leases	17	401	16,102	2,224	306	19,050
Finance charges on leases and SCAs	2	5,183	17,521	9,770	247	32,723
Current grants	(55)	303,446	25	5,431	-	308,847
Corporation tax	-	149	-	-	-	149
Corporate recharges	1	(651,313)	104,237	492,637	54,438	-
Depreciation	81	56,203	248,549	482,527	6,732	794,092
Amortisation	-	17,949	96,147	14,504	9,163	137,763
CSoCNE impairments	-	-	18,402	227,850	2,808	249,060
Individually immaterial items of expenditure	15,624	416,332	152,391	277,304	100,736	962,387
Total expenditure	(11,890)	1,671,692	2,764,419	7,529,900	2,875,876	14,829,997

						2023-24
	Centrally held	Policy and corporate services	HMCTS	HMPPS	Other delivery agencies	Gross total (pre‑eliminations)
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Income
Income from external customers	(1,160)	(117,997)	(62,640)	(242,482)	(59,036)	(483,315)
Internal MoJ income	-	(160,706)	(25)	-	(156)	(160,887)
Interest	-	(586)	(14)	-	-	(600)
EU grants	-	-	-	(40,818)	-	(40,818)
CFERs	(908)	(21,168)	-	-	-	(22,076)
Fee income	(355,296)	(29,999)	(745,028)	-	(114,890)	(1,245,213)
Total income	(357,364)	(330,456)	(807,707)	(283,300)	(174,082)	(1,952,909)
Expenditure
Staff costs	2,155	829,495	700,908	3,294,506	137,983	4,965,047
Judiciary costs	101	10,484	678,174	-	-	688,759
Accommodation, maintenance and utilities	-	37,170	306,605	689,168	6,278	1,039,221
Offender-related costs	-	-	-	746,433	-	746,433
Service concession charges	-	-	34,312	720,410	-	754,722
IT services and telecommunications (non-SCAs)	696	207,299	232,323	34,148	288	474,754
Contracted probation services (community rehabilitation companies)	-	-	-	96,388	-	96,388
Payments of grant-in-aid to MoJ NDPBs (eliminated on consolidation)	-	308,842	-	-	-	308,842
Cost of legal services and disbursements (civil)	-	-	-	-	7,592	7,592
Cost of legal services and disbursements (crime)	-	-	-	-	5,462	5,462
Provisions provided for in year	302,446	2,554	(10,397)	26,727	248,366	569,696
Legal aid-funded provisions	-	-	-	-	2,142,419	2,142,419
Rentals under operating leases	-	93	14,678	1,945	241	16,957
Finance charges on leases and SCAs	-	6,003	22,761	16,787	160	45,711
Current grants	-	303,631	25	4,892	-	308,548
Corporation tax	-	146	-	-	-	146
Corporate recharges	-	(644,245)	104,666	492,512	47,067	-
Depreciation	-	54,322	256,204	461,695	6,588	778,809
Amortisation	-	16,780	118,460	13,288	8,204	156,732
CSoCNE impairments	-	71	9,918	100,504	-	110,493
Individually immaterial items of expenditure	(1,005)	385,780	178,949	246,825	90,637	901,186
Total expenditure	304,393	1,518,425	2,647,586	6,946,228	2,701,285	14,117,917

3. Revenue from contracts with customers

		2024-25		2023-24
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Fines receipts	379,769	379,769	385,295	385,295
Fee income	966,467	966,467	867,299	867,299
Victim surcharge	74,948	74,948	65,527	65,527
Legal aid – civil representation recoveries	14,777	14,777	14,535	14,535
Legal aid – criminal cases recoveries	38,134	38,134	23,791	23,791
Remand income	37,027	37,027	33,284	33,284
Income from NHS and other healthcare providers	75,886	75,886	66,400	66,400
Recoveries from other government departments	106,659	105,555	99,775	98,791
CICA income from the Scottish Government	18,663	18,663	19,345	19,345
External sales of prison industries	18,235	18,235	15,677	15,677
Retail prison shop income	82,623	82,623	81,464	81,464
In-cell TV income	1,855	1,855	1,831	1,831
Training	2,328	2,420	6,436	6,556
Compensation	5,921	5,688	5,678	5,320
Internal customers	2,222	2,222	2,549	2,549
Miscellaneous income	19,102	19,659	17,991	18,174
Revenue within MoJ’s ambit	1,844,616	1,843,928	1,706,877	1,705,838
CFER receipts	22,864	22,864	975	22,076
Total	1,867,480	1,866,792	1,707,852	1,727,914

4. Other operating income

		2024-25		2023-24
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Rental income	19,626	19,522	18,767	18,634
European Social Fund and other European funding	44,918	44,918	40,818	40,818
Miscellaneous income	-	637	-	681
Total	64,544	65,077	59,585	60,133

5. Staff and judiciary costs

Staff costs

				2024-25	2023-24
	Permanently employed staff	Other	Ministers	Total	Total
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Wages and salaries	3,672,453	240,421	412	3,913,286	3,740,548
Social security costs	400,846	2,205	38	403,089	375,659
Other pension costs	894,076	55	-	894,131	791,876
Sub-total	4,967,375	242,681	450	5,210,506	4,908,083
Early departure costs	32,690	-	-	32,690	45,052
Early departure provisions	(32)	-	-	(32)	-
Add inward secondments	4,880	2,815	-	7,695	25,788
Less recoveries in respect of outward secondments	(12,546)	(10)	-	(12,556)	(13,894)
Total net costs	4,992,367	245,486	450	5,238,303	4,965,029
Of which:
Core department and agencies	4,750,749	204,067	450	4,955,266	4,701,233
NDPBs	241,618	41,419	-	283,037	263,796
Total	4,992,367	245,486	450	5,238,303	4,965,029

Judiciary costs

				2024-25	2023-24
	Senior judicial salaries	Other judicial salaries	Fee-paid judiciary	Total	Total
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Wages and salaries	172,502	134,335	160,717	467,554	432,930
Social security costs	23,143	17,771	16,857	57,771	53,846
Other pension costs	105,623	83,264	73,632	262,519	201,983
Total	301,268	235,370	251,206	787,844	688,759

All judiciary costs are within the core department and agencies.

Staff and judiciary numbers and further details of related costs, including exit packages, are reported in the remuneration and staff report within the accountability section.

6. Purchase of goods and services

		2024-25		2023-24
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies (reclassified)	Departmental group (reclassified)
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Lease/service concession charges:
PFI service charges	624,266	624,266	598,179	598,179
Other service concession charges	169,572	169,572	156,543	156,543
Rentals under operating leases	18,847	18,895	16,563	16,604
Other services:
Accommodation, maintenance and utilities	1,151,511	969,029	1,033,984	878,367
Communications, office supplies and services	69,700	71,556	65,524	67,304
Travel, subsistence and hospitality	68,778	73,912	69,368	73,679
Training and other staff-related costs	66,005	70,912	70,144	74,689
IT services and telecommunications (non-SCAs)	541,628	549,392	465,345	474,018
Professional services	108,163	114,755	101,819	105,743
Other contracted out services	172,510	182,624	162,760	173,165
Auditors’ remuneration and expenses	-	630	-	584
Other legal aid service costs	-	-	-	7
Non-cash services:
Auditors’ remuneration and expenses	2,332	2,332	2,122	2,122
Total	2,993,312	2,847,875	2,742,351	2,621,004

Non-cash external auditors’ remuneration and expenses represents the statutory audit fees of the core department and agencies. Refer to page 111 in the governance statement for details of total statutory audit fees for the group.

7. Depreciation, amortisation and impairment

		2024-25		2023-24
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Depreciation	789,556	794,092	774,242	778,809
Amortisation	134,381	137,763	153,674	156,732
Impairment of:
Property, plant and equipment	226,330	226,330	105,838	105,838
Intangible assets	8,452	8,452	4,626	4,626
Right of use assets	14,278	14,278	(42)	29
Increase in receivables impairment	6,768	6,756	10,168	10,187
Total	1,179,765	1,187,671	1,048,506	1,056,221

8. Provision expense

		2024-25		2023-24
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Provisions provided in year net of release	283,847	283,814	568,261	569,696
Civil legal help and representation – solicitors’ charges, counsel fees and disbursements	989,468	989,468	969,987	969,987
Criminal cases – solicitors’ charges, counsel fees and disbursements	1,239,918	1,239,918	1,172,432	1,172,432
Total	2,513,233	2,513,200	2,710,680	2,712,115

Not included in the provisions expense note are employment tribunal refunds, which are charged against income, and dilapidations provisions which have been capitalised and added to right of use assets.

9. Net (gain)/loss on disposal of assets

		2024-25		2023-24
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Net (gain)/loss on disposal of:
Property, plant and equipment	8,681	8,939	9,009	9,054
Intangible assets	2	51	2,969	2,972
Right of use assets	-	1	126	126
Assets held for sale	(7,599)	(7,599)	(10,054)	(10,054)
Total	1,084	1,392	2,050	2,098

10. Revaluation of non-current and financial assets charged to CSoCNE

		2024-25		2023-24
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
(Increase)/decrease in the valuation of:
Property, plant and equipment	(7,934)	(7,934)	13,826	13,826
Intangible assets	-	-	(1)	(1)
Assets held for sale	-	-	25	25
Investments	(12)	(12)	143	143
Total	(7,946)	(7,946)	13,993	13,993

11. Other operating expenditure

		2024-25		2023-24
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies (reclassified)	Departmental group (reclassified)
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Grants:
Current	215,917	308,847	216,153	308,548
Capital	-	-	568	568
Criminal justice costs:
Offender-related costs	815,319	815,319	746,433	746,433
Youth offender costs	57,713	57,713	54,095	54,095
Contracted probation services	99,219	99,219	96,388	96,388
Judicial and juror costs	66,093	66,093	66,163	66,163
Cost of legal services and disbursements (civil)	8,756	8,756	7,592	7,592
Cost of legal services and disbursements (crime)	6,765	6,765	5,462	5,462
Cost from central funds	20,542	20,542	17,517	17,517
Compensation payments	25,140	25,140	39,042	39,042
Other administrative expenditure	13,550	14,175	18,544	19,118
Other programme costs	107,070	217,768	89,008	179,731
Grant-in-aid to NDPBs	353,736	-	329,943	-
Non-cash operating expense:
Corporate notional overhead charge	(2,978)	-	(4,315)	-
Other pension costs	784	784	614	614
Other non-cash	8,309	7,831	5,594	5,596
Total	1,795,935	1,648,952	1,688,801	1,546,867

12. Finance expense

		2024-25		2023-24
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Finance charges on leases and SCAs	32,627	32,782	45,592	45,711
Local authority loan interest	657	657	561	561
Non-cash finance expense:
Net interest on pension schemes	21,885	21,606	(13,706)	(13,338)
Total	55,169	55,045	32,447	32,934

Finance charges under PFI and leased asset costs have arisen due to certain PFI loans now being measured under IFRS 16 principles.

13. Property, plant and equipment

Departmental group 2024-25

	Land	Buildings	Dwellings	Information technology	Plant and equipment	Furniture, fixtures and fittings	Payments on account and assets under construction	Total
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Cost or valuation
At 1 April 2024	1,749,766	10,964,694	45,702	590,437	601,949	47,758	1,979,415	15,979,721
Additions	700	4,320	-	88,851	21,583	74	1,309,606	1,425,134
Disposals	(1,409)	(656)	(885)	(65,789)	(21,942)	(824)	(45)	(91,550)
Reclassifications	435	1,117,308	(12,770)	33,190	10,668	841	(1,167,038)	(17,366)
Revaluations	34,561	(470,724)	748	320	31	-	-	(435,064)
Transfers	-	4,047	-	(505)	(96)	-	(3,513)	(67)
Impairments	(2,059)	(194,549)	(22)	(1,335)	(3,010)	-	(27,821)	(228,796)
At 31 March 2025	1,781,994	11,424,440	32,773	645,169	609,183	47,849	2,090,604	16,632,012
Depreciation
At 1 April 2024	-	(1,984)	(6)	(372,118)	(424,268)	(35,931)	-	(834,307)
Charged in year	(623)	(515,086)	(887)	(88,465)	(45,953)	(2,236)	-	(653,250)
Disposals	-	74	-	65,417	21,493	823	-	87,807
Reclassifications	-	32	2	2	157	-	-	193
Revaluations	623	514,094	880	(50)	(6)	-	-	515,541
Transfers	-	66	-	-	-	-	-	66
Impairments	-	-	-	209	2,257	-	-	2,466
At 31 March 2025	-	(2,804)	(11)	(395,005)	(446,320)	(37,344)	-	(881,484)
Carrying amount at 31 March 2025	1,781,994	11,421,636	32,762	250,164	162,863	10,505	2,090,604	15,750,528
Carrying amount at 1 April 2024	1,749,766	10,962,710	45,696	218,319	177,681	11,827	1,979,415	15,145,414
Asset financing
Owned	1,617,424	9,497,090	32,762	250,164	116,592	10,505	2,090,604	13,615,141
Finance leased	-	-	-	-	46,271	-	-	46,271
On-balance sheet PFI and other SCAs	164,570	1,924,546	-	-	-	-	-	2,089,116
Carrying amount at 31 March 2025	1,781,994	11,421,636	32,762	250,164	162,863	10,505	2,090,604	15,750,528
Of the total
Core department and agencies	1,778,044	11,395,187	32,762	248,000	162,858	9,119	2,088,480	15,714,450
NDPBs	3,950	26,449	-	2,164	5	1,386	2,124	36,078
Carrying amount at 31 March 2025	1,781,994	11,421,636	32,762	250,164	162,863	10,505	2,090,604	15,750,528

Seven prisons are run by private sector operators under manage and maintain contracts. Assets covered by these contracts are reported as ‘on-balance sheet PFI and other SCAs’ in accordance with IFRIC 12 Service Concession Arrangements. Further details relating to these SCAs are disclosed in Note 21.

Per Note 1b, the split of property value at 31 March 2025 by valuation basis is shown in the table below.

Property values at 31 March 2025	£000
Property values at depreciated replacement cost	12,128,231
Property values at existing use value	778,700
Leasehold improvements (not professionally valued)	235,074
Land attached to buildings within assets under construction	60,982
Surplus assets (not professionally valued)	5,943
Other assets (not professionally valued)	27,462
Total	13,236,392

Costs included within property, plant and equipment note
Land excluding dwellings	1,781,994
Buildings excluding dwellings	11,421,636
Dwellings	32,762
Total	13,236,392

Assets under construction will not be valued until ready to be made live and are therefore excluded from the analysis by valuation type.

Departmental group 2023-24

	Land	Buildings	Dwellings	Information technology	Plant and equipment	Furniture, fixtures and fittings	Payments on account assets under construction	Total
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Cost or valuation
At 1 April 2023	1,800,061	10,593,560	45,632	711,062	577,597	45,119	1,771,703	15,544,734
Additions	1,942	20,025	-	47,209	15,483	1,705	1,194,012	1,280,376
Disposals	-	(670)	-	(219,713)	(16,007)	(1,229)	(1,664)	(239,283)
Reclassifications	337	924,421	209	44,475	10,912	999	(983,357)	(2,004)
Revaluations	(53,106)	(467,146)	(101)	7,404	13,922	1,206	-	(497,821)
Transfers	-	(207)	-	-	42	(42)	-	(207)
Impairments	532	(105,289)	(38)	-	-	-	(1,279)	(106,074)
At 31 March 2024	1,749,766	10,964,694	45,702	590,437	601,949	47,758	1,979,415	15,979,721
Depreciation
At 1 April 2023	-	(3,406)	(2)	(510,993)	(384,866)	(33,907)	-	(933,174)
Charged in year	(640)	(502,800)	(863)	(75,981)	(44,331)	(1,942)	-	(626,557)
Disposals	-	263	2	219,672	15,073	754	-	235,764
Reclassifications	-	407	-	-	(2)	2	-	407
Revaluations	629	503,327	857	(4,816)	(10,142)	(838)	-	489,017
Impairments	11	225	-	-	-	-	-	236
At 31 March 2024	-	(1,984)	(6)	(372,118)	(424,268)	(35,931)	-	(834,307)
Carrying amount at 31 March 2024	1,749,766	10,962,710	45,696	218,319	177,681	11,827	1,979,415	15,145,414
Carrying amount at 1 April 2023	1,800,061	10,590,154	45,630	200,069	192,731	11,212	1,771,703	14,611,560
Asset financing
Owned	1,585,216	9,036,063	45,696	218,319	131,410	11,827	1,979,415	13,007,946
Finance leased	-	-	-	-	46,271	-	-	46,271
On-balance sheet PFI and other SCAs	164,550	1,926,647	-	-	-	-	-	2,091,197
Carrying amount at 31 March 2024	1,749,766	10,962,710	45,696	218,319	177,681	11,827	1,979,415	15,145,414
Of the total
Core department and agencies	1,749,766	10,960,498	45,696	216,593	177,675	10,446	1,978,582	15,139,256
NDPBs	-	2,212	-	1,726	6	1,381	833	6,158
Carrying amount at 31 March 2024	1,749,766	10,962,710	45,696	218,319	177,681	11,827	1,979,415	15,145,414

Property values at 31 March 2024	£000
Property values at depreciated replacement cost	11,648,567
Property values at existing use value	813,759
Properties at market value	127,192
Leasehold improvements (not professionally valued)	73,228
Land attached to buildings within assets under construction	59,800
Surplus assets (not professionally valued)	5,323
Other assets (not professionally valued)	30,303
Total	12,758,172

Costs included within property, plant and equipment note	£000
Land excluding dwellings	1,749,766
Buildings excluding dwellings	10,962,710
Dwellings	45,696
Total	12,758,172

Assets under construction will not be valued until ready to be made live and are therefore excluded from the analysis by valuation type.

14. Right of use leased assets

Departmental group 2024 to 2025

	Land and buildings	Dwellings	Information technology	Plant and equipment	Total
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Cost or valuation
At 1 April 2024	1,709,324	3,943	4,749	-	1,718,016
Additions	772	-	4	6,158	6,934
Disposals	(25,192)	-	-	-	(25,192)
Reclassifications	(946)	(3,943)	2,335	3,943	1,389
Remeasurements	49	-	-	-	49
Revaluations	(12,895)	-	-	-	(12,895)
Impairments	(14,278)	-	-	-	(14,278)
At 31 March 2025	1,656,834	-	7,088	10,101	1,674,023
Depreciation
At 1 April 2024	(390,476)	(246)	(402)	-	(391,124)
Charged in year	(137,757)	(-)	(1,187)	(1,898)	(140,842)
Disposals	25,191	-	-	-	25,191
Reclassifications	(115)	246	(1,514)	(246)	(1,629)
Remeasurements	-	-	-	-	-
Revaluations	7,155	-	-	-	7,155
At 31 March 2025	(496,002)	-	(3,103)	(2,144)	(501,249)
Carrying amount at 31 March 2025	1,160,832	-	3,985	7,957	1,172,774
Carrying amount at 1 April 2024	1,318,848	3,697	4,347	-	1,326,892
Of the total
Core department and agencies	1,147,300	-	3,164	7,957	1,158,421
NDPBs	13,532	-	821	-	14,353
Carrying amount at 31 March 2025	1,160,832	-	3,985	7,957	1,172,774

The group’s lease contracts comprise leases of operational land and buildings. A maturity analysis of lease liabilities is given within Note 19.

Departmental group 2023-24

	Land and buildings	Dwellings	Information technology	Total
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Cost or valuation
At 1 April 2023	1,660,235	-	-	1,660,235
Additions	63,229	3,943	4,749	71,921
Disposals	(7,784)	-	-	(7,784)
Reclassifications	(340)	-	-	(340)
Remeasurements	(15)	-	-	(15)
Revaluations	(3,860)	-	-	(3,860)
Transfers	(2,112)	-	-	(2,112)
Impairments	(29)	-	-	(29)
At 31 March 2024	1,709,324	3,943	4,749	1,718,016
Depreciation
At 1 April 2023	(255,144)	-	-	(255,144)
Charged in year	(151,430)	(246)	(402)	(152,078)
Disposals	7,692	-	-	7,692
Reclassifications	245	-	-	245
Remeasurements	15	-	-	15
Revaluations	5,829	-	-	5,829
Transfers	2,317	-	-	2,317
At 31 March 2024	(390,476)	(246)	(402)	(391,124)
Carrying amount at 31 March 2024	1,318,848	3,697	4,347	1,326,892
Carrying amount at 1 April 2023	1,405,091	-	-	1,405,091
Of the total
Core department and agencies	1,306,107	3,697	4,347	1,314,151
NDPBs	12,741	-	-	12,741
Carrying amount at 31 March 2024	1,318,848	3,697	4,347	1,326,892

Amounts recognised in the CSoCNE

		2024-25		2023-24
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Depreciation	136,959	139,126	122,240	125,511
Interest expense	18,188	18,316	17,485	17,621
Low value and short-term leases	1,046	2,496	1,187	3,064
Non-recoverable VAT	24	24	33,308	33,308
Total	156,217	159,962	174,220	179,504

Amounts recognised in the Statement of Cash Flows

		2024-25		2023-24
	Core department and agencies	Departmenta group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Right of use assets	-	(12)	1,295	1,996
Interest expense	18,190	18,318	17,485	17,602
Repayment of principal on leases	154,001	155,378	112,911	114,397
Total	172,191	173,684	131,691	133,995

15. Intangible assets

Departmental group 2024-25

	Software licences	Information technology	Internally generated software	Payments on account and assets under construction	Total
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Cost or valuation
At 1 April 2024	61,468	333,867	1,031,740	149,483	1,576,558
Additions	136	8,737	5,675	82,903	97,451
Disposals	(10,605)	(14,972)	(189,638)	-	(215,215)
Reclassifications	316	34,254	102,074	(133,946)	2,698
Revaluations	-	290	122	132	544
Transfers	728	1,960	(9,745)	7,786	729
Impairments	-	-	(19,771)	(5,537)	(25,308)
At 31 March 2025	52,043	364,136	920,457	100,821	1,437,457
Amortisation
At 1 April 2024	(51,670)	(262,959)	(573,654)	-	(888,283)
Charged in year	(3,536)	(21,568)	(112,659)	-	(137,763)
Disposals	10,605	14,921	189,638	-	215,164
Reclassifications	65	1,447	-	-	1,512
Revaluations	-	(15)	(136)	-	(151)
Transfers	(728)	-	-	-	(728)
Impairments	-	-	16,771	-	16,771
At 31 March 2025	(45,264)	(268,174)	(480,040)	-	(793,478)
Carrying amount at 31 March 2025	6,779	95,962	440,417	100,821	643,979
Carrying amount at 1 April 2024	9,798	70,908	458,086	149,483	688,275
Asset financing
Owned	6,779	95,962	440,417	100,821	643,979
Carrying amount at 31 March 2025	6,779	95,962	440,417	100,821	643,979
Of the total
Core department and agencies	6,339	94,728	437,807	100,821	639,695
NDPBs	440	1,234	2,610	-	4,284
Carrying amount at 31 March 2025	6,779	95,962	440,417	100,821	643,979

Departmental group 2023-24

	Software licences	Information technology	Internally generated software	Payments on account and assets under construction	Total
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Cost or valuation
At 1 April 2023	60,302	459,518	942,121	156,475	1,618,416
Additions	(3)	9,705	96	111,248	121,046
Disposals	(1,315)	(164,492)	(12,987)	(28)	(178,822)
Reclassifications	1,796	25,574	87,481	(113,584)	1,267
Revaluations	688	3,562	15,029	-	19,279
Transfers	-	-	-	(2)	(2)
Impairments	-	-	-	(4,626)	(4,626)
At 31 March 2024	61,468	333,867	1,031,740	149,483	1,576,558
Amortisation
At 1 April 2023	(46,555)	(405,186)	(444,688)	-	(896,429)
Charged in year	(5,851)	(18,355)	(132,700)	-	(156,906)
Disposals	1,312	161,560	12,978	-	175,850
Reclassifications	-	1,976	(1,976)	-	-
Revaluations	(576)	(2,954)	(7,268)	-	(10,798)
At 31 March 2024	(51,670)	(262,959)	(573,654)	-	(888,283)
Carrying amount at 31 March 2024	9,798	70,908	458,086	149,483	688,275
Carrying amount at 1 April 2023	13,747	54,332	497,433	156,475	721,987
Asset financing
Owned	9,798	70,908	458,086	149,483	688,275
Carrying amount at 31 March 2024	9,798	70,908	458,086	149,483	688,275
Of the total
Core department and agencies	9,538	69,015	455,271	149,615	683,439
NDPBs	260	1,893	2,815	(132)	4,836
Carrying amount at 31 March 2024	9,798	70,908	458,086	149,483	688,275

At 31 March 2025 and 31 March 2024 there were no individually material intangible assets.

16. Assets held for sale

		31 March 2025		31 March 2024
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Balance at 1 April	2,715	2,715	9,115	9,115
Reclassifications	13,203	13,203	425	425
Disposals	(5,441)	(5,441)	(6,636)	(6,636)
Revaluations	(579)	(579)	(189)	(189)
Balance at 31 March	9,898	9,898	2,715	2,715

HMPPS has committed to a plan to sell surplus properties, which are to be sold for commercial use and domestic dwellings. These HMPPS sites have a combined carrying value of £9.9 million (financial year 2023 to 2024: £2.5 million).

17. Trade and other receivables

		31 March 2025		31 March 2024
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Amounts falling due within one year
Trade receivables	49,712	49,820	46,031	46,150
Other receivables	136,081	136,727	158,651	159,613
Contributions due from funded clients	330	330	994	994
Statutory charge and interest	8,233	8,233	11,286	11,286
Amounts due from service providers	21,590	21,590	25,739	25,739
VAT receivables	72,378	72,425	77,543	78,413
Deposits and advances	386	405	101	295
Prepayments and accrued income	138,273	141,596	135,786	139,124
Intra-departmental receivables	1,064	-	434	-
Current total	428,047	431,126	456,565	461,614
Amounts falling due after more than one year
Other receivables	34,172	34,172	32,469	32,469
Prepayments and accrued income	190	190	514	515
Contributions due from funded clients	1,219	1,219	3,337	3,337
Statutory charge and interest	83,501	83,501	85,647	85,647
Non-current total	119,082	119,082	121,967	121,968
Total	547,129	550,208	578,532	583,582

The above includes a receivables impairment provision of £254.7 million (financial year 2023 to 2024: £247.3 million) for LAA. For further detail regarding the LAA impairment provision, refer to Note 24.

Other receivables includes £83.9 million (financial year 2023 to 2024: £96.3 million) from HMCTS in respect of fines and penalties imposed by the criminal justice system, as disclosed in the HMCTS Trust Statement.

18. Cash and cash equivalents

		31 March 2025		31 March 2024
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Balance at 1 April	336,463	378,584	302,793	359,382
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(32,757)	(27,059)	33,670	19,202
Balance at 31 March	303,706	351,525	336,463	378,584
Of which:
Government Banking Service	285,072	317,600	299,453	328,103
Commercial banks and cash in hand	18,634	33,925	37,010	50,481
Total	303,706	351,525	336,463	378,584

18.1 Reconciliation of liabilities arising from financing activities

IAS 7 requires an entity to provide disclosures that enabled users of the financial statements to evaluate changes in liabilities arising from financing activities, including both cash and non-cash changes. The table below provides a breakdown of movements in liabilities arising from financing activities.

Departmental group

					Cash flows			Non-cash changes
	Cash flows (out)/in	Opening liabilities at 1 April 2024	Interest charged	Capital repayment	Interest paid	Lease additions	SoCNE	Other adjustments	Closing liabilities at 31 March 2025
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Capital element of finance leases and on-balance sheet PFI contracts	(191,072)		-	191,072	-	-	-	-
Repayment of local authority loans	(792)		-	792	-	-	-	-
Interest paid – right of use	(33,380)		(33,380)	-	33,380	-	-	-
Repayment of right of use lease liabilities – capital	-		-	-	-	-	-	-
Total cashflows associated with financing activities	(225,244)
Long-term borrowings		18,877	657	(792)	(657)	-	-	-	18,085
Lease liabilities		1,426,754	18,341	(156,494)	(18,341)	19,706	(555)	752	1,290,163
PFI and SCA liabilities		235,220	14,382	(34,578)	(14,382)	-	-	(1)	200,641
Total liabilities from financing activities		1,680,851	33,380	(191,864)	(33,380)	19,706	(555)	751	1,508,889

Departmental group

	Opening liabilities at 1 April 2023	Cash flows (out)/in	Interest charged	Capital repayment	Interest paid	IFRS16 and other adjustments	Closing liabilities at 31 March 2024
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Capital element of finance leases and on-balance sheet PFI contracts	-	(187,167)	-	187,167	-	-	-
Repayment of local authority loans	-	(345)	-	345	-	-	-
Interest paid	-	(46,272)	(46,272)	-	46,272	-	-
Long-term borrowings	19,222		701	(345)	(701)	-	18,877
Lease liabilities	1,498,014		20,479	(149,868)	(20,479)	78,608	1,426,754
PFI and SCA liabilities	279,172		25,092	(37,299)	(25,092)	(6,653)	235,220
Total liabilities from financing activities	1,796,408		46,272	(187,512)	(46,272)	71,955	1,680,851

19. Trade payables and other financial liabilities

19.1 Payables

		31 March 2025		31 March 2024
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Amounts falling due within one year
Trade payables	128,495	140,812	131,555	139,113
Taxation and social security	97,464	102,310	86,899	91,363
Capital payables	181,889	181,996	156,066	156,080
Other payables	130,592	134,492	108,074	109,237
Accruals	669,275	684,227	706,166	722,502
Deferred income	107,313	109,359	93,636	95,426
Amounts due to solicitors, counsel and advice agencies	121,661	121,661	72,970	72,970
Contribution refunds to funded clients	2,995	2,995	2,065	2,065
Amounts issued from the Consolidated Fund for supply but not spent at year end	280,696	280,696	315,295	315,295
CFERs due to be paid to the Consolidated Fund:
- received	23,010	23,010	21,168	21,168
- receivable	-	-	-	-
Intra-departmental payables	26,326	(70)	44,767	-
Current total	1,769,716	1,781,488	1,738,661	1,725,219
Amounts falling due after more than one year
Local authority loan balances	18,085	18,085	18,877	18,877
Deferred income	-	-	-	404
Other payables	13,648	13,648	12,070	12,502
Non-current total	31,733	31,733	30,947	31,783
Total	1,801,449	1,813,221	1,769,608	1,757,002

19.2 Other financial liabilities

		31 March 2025		31 March 2024
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Amounts falling due within one year
Lease incentive creditors	87	87	87	87
Lease liabilities	132,243	134,954	135,435	137,895
Imputed finance lease element of on‑balance sheet PFI contracts	33,320	33,320	36,969	36,969
Current total	165,650	168,361	172,491	174,951
Amounts falling due after more than one year
Lease liabilities	1,142,455	1,155,209	1,278,078	1,288,859
Imputed finance lease element of on‑balance sheet PFI contracts	167,321	167,321	198,251	198,251
Non-current total	1,309,776	1,322,530	1,476,329	1,487,110
Total	1,475,426	1,490,891	1,648,820	1,662,061

20. Provisions for liabilities and charges

		2024-25		2023-24
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Balance at 1 April	2,026,257	2,033,161	1,580,660	1,585,713
Provided in the year	2,589,054	2,592,111	2,769,908	2,774,196
Provisions not required written back	(82,391)	(85,193)	(55,567)	(57,442)
Provisions utilised in the year	(2,405,339)	(2,406,557)	(2,273,805)	(2,274,367)
Borrowing costs (unwinding of discount)	11,280	11,280	5,061	5,061
Balance at 31 March	2,138,861	2,144,802	2,026,257	2,033,161
Analysis of expected timing of discounted cash flows
Not later than one year	1,335,513	1,339,437	1,204,194	1,209,135
Later than one year but not later than five years	600,442	602,192	616,267	617,952
Later than five years	202,906	203,173	205,796	206,074
Balance at 31 March	2,138,861	2,144,802	2,026,257	2,033,161

Provisions by type

												2024-25
	Judicial Service Award	Injury Benefits Scheme	Early departure costs	Costs from central funds	Legal claims	Repayment schemes (HMCTS)	CICA pre-tariff scheme	CICA tariff scheme	Leasehold dilapidations	LAA outstanding balances on funded cases	Other	Total
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Balance at 1 April 2024	121,019	104,885	54,715	20,914	426,741	5,533	736	250,397	92,097	935,870	20,254	2,033,161
Provided in the year	9,064	10,624	1,440	47,116	33,760	25	963	251,277	3,959	2,229,386	4,497	2,592,111
Not required and written back	-	(2,705)	(3,421)	-	(64,292)	(5,363)	-	(390)	(7,717)	-	(1,305)	(85,193)
Utilised in the year	(14,444)	(6,872)	(4,420)	(42,785)	(30,394)	(96)	(561)	(143,563)	(1,055)	(2,157,856)	(4,511)	(2,406,557)
Reclassifications between provisions categories	-	-	-	-	(543)	-	-	-	-	-	543	-
Borrowing costs (unwinding of discount)	2,200	-	2,508	-	(240)	-	-	6,817	-	-	(5)	11,280
Balance at 31 March 2025	117,839	105,932	50,822	25,245	365,032	99	1,138	364,538	87,284	1,007,400	19,473	2,144,802
Analysis of expected timing of discounted cash flows
Not later than one year	22,700	6,579	4,592	25,245	21,056	48	1,138	219,673	24,511	1,007,400	6,495	1,339,437
Later than one year but not later than five years	56,900	23,734	15,453	-	339,542	51	-	144,865	17,934	-	3,713	602,192
Later than five years	38,239	75,619	30,777	-	4,434	-	-	-	44,839	-	9,265	203,173
Balance at 31 March 2025	117,839	105,932	50,822	25,245	365,032	99	1,138	364,538	87,284	1,007,400	19,473	2,144,802

Judicial Service Award and fee-paid judicial claims

The Judicial Service Award (JSA) was created to equalise the tax position of judicial pensions affected by the provisions of the Finance Act 2004. Following the introduction of the Fee-Paid Judicial Pensions Scheme on 1 April 2017, the provision held for JSAs covers the liability to both salaried and fee-paid judges. The provision is calculated by the Government Actuary’s Department, taking into account the number of reckonable years served by the existing judiciary and the projected final salaries or fee earnings of existing members. JSA benefits ceased to accrue on 31 March 2022, as a result of the introduction of the reformed 2022 JPS. JSAs accrued before that date remain the liability of MoJ and where members continue in active service remain linked to salaries or fee-rates at retirement.

The JSA provision takes into account liabilities arising from recent litigation. In November 2018 the Court of Justice of the European Union extended the period of service to be taken into account in calculating pensions for eligible fee-paid judges. In December 2019 the UK Supreme Court ruled that the time limit to make a pension claim ran from three months from the date of retirement rather than from the end of fee-paid service, thereby extending the number of potential eligible claimants.

In June 2019, the Supreme Court refused the government permission to appeal the McCloud and Sergeant cases, which decided that the transitional protection provisions in the Judicial Pension Scheme (JPS) 2015 Regulations were unlawful on grounds of age discrimination.

The JSA provision of £117.8 million can be analysed as follows:

	£m
Salaried judicial office holders	46.0
Fee-paid judicial office holders	20.6
Transitional protection	40.0
Length of service protection	11.2
Total	117.8

Sensitivity analysis

A sensitivity analysis for the JSA provision was undertaken by the Government Actuary’s Department to identify the impact of changes in the assumptions used to calculate the liability as at 31 March 2023. Each change is shown separately to illustrate the impact that an adjustment would have on the accounts. The following assumptions are used in the calculation of this provision.

Discount rate: The liability is accounted for under IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets and uses the general provisions discount rate as published by HM Treasury. The discount rate is used to calculate the present value of expected future cash flows. The sensitivity analysis shows the impact of a +0.5% change in the discount rate for the short term, medium term and long term. A +0.5% change in the rate would result in a reduction in the liability of 2.0% or £1.7 million.
(Long-term) salary increase: A long-term salary increase of CPI +2.0% per year is used to calculate the provision. This is in keeping with the JPS resource accounts. The sensitivity analysis shows the impact of a +0.5% change in the earnings assumptions which would result in an increase in the liability of 2.5% or £2.2 million.
Post-employment rates: This sensitivity shows the impact of calculating the provision using the post-employment benefits discount rate of 4.15% rather than the general provisions rates. This would increase the liability by 1.5% or £1.3 million.
Retirement age: This is the unweighted average age at which members are assumed to retire on grounds other than ill health in each of the JPS. A one-year increase in the retirement age assumption would have a negligible impact on the liability.
Inflation: A service award is paid when a member retires and is dependent on the earnings assumptions but not inflation.

		Approximate effect on total liability
Change in assumption	%	£m
1. Discount rate: +0.5% per year	-1.5	- £1.0
2. (Long-term) salary increase: +0.5% per year	+ 2.0	+ £1.3
3. Post-employment benefits discount rate	+0.5	+£0.3
4. Retirement age: all members retire one year later	-0.5	-£0.3
5. Inflation: +0.5% per year	Nil	Nil

MoJ was required to compensate eligible retired fee-paid judges for the additional pension benefits due, including interest where applicable, until the JPS was amended by legislation to allow full benefits to be paid from the scheme. The scheme was amended on 1 April 2023 and the remaining payments will be made by JPS. MoJ has retained a provision of £1.9 million for compensation of an interest like nature which is not payable by JPS. This is included within the total for ‘Other provisions’.

Injury Benefits Scheme

HMPPS meets the costs of the Civil Service Injury Benefits Scheme for payments granted under the scheme after 1 April 1998. The scheme pays benefits to any PCSPS member who suffers disease or injury, which is wholly or partially attributable to the nature of their duty, or who suffers an attack or similar act which is directly attributable to employment within the service. Benefits are paid only in respect of loss of earning capacity, and a provision is made for expected future costs. The Government Actuary’s Department provides HMPPS with annuity rates each year covering whole of life (for total liability value), one year and one to five years (for cash flow values). These assumptions take the time value of money into account.

Early departure costs

The department meets the additional costs of benefits beyond normal PCSPS benefits for employees who retire early. This involves paying amounts determined by the pension administrator annually to PCSPS over the period between early departure and normal retirement date. The department provides for this in full when the early retirement programme becomes binding on the department by establishing a provision for the estimated payments discounted at the HM Treasury nominal rate of 5.15% (financial year 2023 to 2024: 5.10%).

Costs from Central Funds

Under the terms of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985, acquitted defendants who have applied for legal aid and been found ineligible may, in limited circumstances, obtain an order from the Crown Court to recover their costs. LAA estimates the value of unbilled costs to arrive at the amount disclosed in the accounts as a provision. The amount is an estimate of the expenditure required to settle any obligation at the reporting period end date.

Legal claims

Provision has been made for all known claims where legal advice indicates that it is more likely than not that the claim will be successful, and the amount of the claim can be reliably estimated. The figures represent the best estimate of the amount payable. Included in legal claims is a provision of £300 million for judicial claims. The value of the provision represents the best estimate of the amount payable. However, as they are ongoing claims there remains uncertainty about the timing and amount of any potential outflows. Legal claims which are likely to succeed with a lesser degree of certainty or cannot be estimated reliably are disclosed as contingent liabilities in Note 26.

CICA pre-tariff schemes

The pre-tariff scheme provision reflects CICA’s liabilities in respect of all outstanding cases incurred prior to 1996 which remain to be settled in future years. In accordance with CICA’s accounting policies, the provision is reviewed annually and reflects the likely settlement values at the year end based on the circumstances of each application at that time. CICA’s estimate of the likely settlement requires judgment and the final payment may differ from this estimate.

Pre-tariff scheme award values are assessed by the First-Tier Tribunal. This assessment includes the application of a discount rate (the Lord Chancellor’s discount rate, which is currently 0.5%). The award values assessed by the First-Tier Tribunal are not then further discounted by CICA, due to uncertainties surrounding both the final liability and the settlement date. Additionally, due to these uncertainties, all pre-tariff liabilities are classed as falling due within one year and have not been discounted by HM Treasury’s discount rate.

CICA does not hold any assets in respect of these liabilities. Compensation will be paid from parliamentary funding in the year of settlement.

CICA tariff schemes

The provision for tariff schemes is reflective of CICA’s liabilities under the 1996, 2001, 2008 and 2012 Schemes. CICA recognises liabilities that are based on an evaluation of total applications that are currently known and received by CICA but have not yet been processed through to award. These are referred to as claims reported but not completed. The overall liability for the tariff scheme is £402.5 million with £364.5 million included in this provisions note and £38.0 million included as a tariff scheme accrual within Note 19 (31 March 2024: £250.4 million and £35.4 million). Where an event has occurred on or before the reporting date, but an application has not yet been made, CICA recognises this as an unquantifiable contingent liability. This is because no legal obligation as a result of a past event exists. It is only where an application for compensation has been received that an obligation is recognised in relation to the scheme.

The provision model for tariff schemes estimates a provision for three different categories of case.

Not decided: These are cases which are still under assessment by CICA and therefore a potential monetary value has not yet been determined. In order to estimate a provision for these cases, the model builds historical profiles of average award values, aggregated by tariff band and case age, which are then applied to the population of outstanding cases. A further adjustment is made to account for the fact that a subset of the live case population will be ‘nil-assessed’ and will not attract a monetary award. The proportion of such cases is determined based on an assessment of the historical proportion of nil-assessed cases within each tariff band.
Decided: These are live cases that have been sufficiently assessed to determine their potential monetary value, but where a decision letter has not been issued to the applicant. Until a decision letter is issued, the monetary value may be subject to revision arising from changes in the circumstances of the applicant, checks by CICA resulting in the identification of error or a change in value determined by the timing at which an offer is made to the applicant. Additionally, until the decision letter is issued there is uncertainty over the timing of discharge of the liability. Where a decision letter has been sent to the applicant, the award is classified as ‘on offer’ and accrued for, rather than included in the tariff provision.
On offer not accrued: Once an offer is made, the award value is accrued and therefore no provision is required. However, in a small proportion of such cases the applicant does not accept the compensation offered and an adjustment is made to account for this. The proportion is removed from the total ‘on offer’ accrual and added back into the value of the provision. The percentage is determined based on an assessment of the historical level of the proportion of cases where this occurs.

Since applications are determined under the scheme in force at the date of application, the tariff provision model calculates the provision for pre-2012 schemes (1996, 2001 and 2008) and the current 2012 scheme separately.

The number of remaining live cases for the pre-2012 schemes is low and decreasing. The following assumptions are new or amended at 31 March 2025 as a result of revisions to the provision model:

1. Tariff price profiling: in the financial year 2023 to 2024, two price profiles (0 to 12 months and over 12 months) were applied to cases based on historic resolved data for cases which resolved within those timescales, but weighted to predict a trend towards later resolution. As the historic provision cases dataset has grown in the financial year 2024 to 2025, it has been possible to identify and isolate provision cases within the resolved data, using only those cases for price profiling.

2. Banding: resolved bandings are predicted based on historic data showing how cases move across different bands over time, including how unbanded cases eventually resolve. Banding analysis continued during the financial year 2024 to 2025 and was expanded to include every position of a case during its lifetime, enabling more detailed insight into tariff migration over time.

3. Senior decision maker (SDM) caseload: SDM cases are the more complex cases in the caseload and, therefore, typically of higher value. A dataset of SDM cases has been created during the financial year 2024 to 2025 and has been incorporated into the provision model in order to assign a more accurate value to these types of cases. Where there is sufficient information available on an SDM case, this information will be used to estimate a case value instead of modelling it the same way as a general provision case.

The changes in the provision model have resulted in an increase of £63.2 million in the tariff provision.

The following key assumptions are unchanged since 31 March 2024:

4. Average value: average value profiles for both tariff bands and case age are derived from historical case data.

5. Percentage nil value: the proportion of cases which will be assessed at nil value is derived from historical case data.

6. Decided to offer: the calculation assumes that decided cases will be paid out at 100% of their decided value.

7. Timing: the expected timing in which the liability is discharged is calculated on the basis of operational capacity.

8. Discounting: the liabilities are discounted, based on the expected timing of discharge, at HM Treasury’s nominal discount rate. The real rate is not used, as tariff schemes’ compensation payments are not subject to inflationary pressures. The discount is unwound over the life of the provision, with the unwinding disclosed as a finance charge in the CSoCNE.

9. Tariff age profiling: profiles for cases under 12 months old are created using an overall average of the last four provisions (i.e. live case) population profiles.

HM Treasury discount rates used are as follows:

	31 March 2025	31 March 2024
Years	%	%
1 to 5	4.03	4.26
6 to 10	4.07	4.03
Over 11	4.81	4.72

CICA does not hold any assets in respect of tariff schemes liabilities. Compensation will be paid from parliamentary funding in the year of settlement.

Tariff schemes sensitivity analysis

A sensitivity analysis for the tariff provision has been undertaken to identify the impact of any changes to key assumptions. The analysis demonstrates that there is significant uncertainty in the valuation of the provision. Each assumption within the provision model has been identified, a reasonable change identified and the impact on the overall financial liability calculated. These changes include flexing historical data trends to show the potential impact on the provision. For each assumption which is being analysed for sensitivity, only that assumption is changed. If two or more assumptions are changed at one time, the actual sensitivity of a change in assumption may be obscured because of the potential interrelation of the assumptions.

The following tables show the impact of adjusting the key assumptions. The ranges of the sensitivity tests shown are based on the variability of past data. They do not represent the maxima or minima of past observed values nor the full range of possible outcomes, but they do capture future values that could plausibly occur. The ‘low profile’ sensitivity assumes a weighting in the case mix towards younger, less complex cases, while the ‘high profile’ sensitivity assumes a weighting towards older, more complex cases. The least sensitive assumptions have been excluded below. However, a more detailed sensitivity analysis can be found in CICA’s annual report and accounts 2024 to 2025. Each change is shown separately but in practice combinations are possible as different assumptions can be correlated.

		Pre-2012 change	2012 change	Total change
	Assumption	£000	£000	£000
Age parameter		-	1,393	1,393
Average value	Low profile	-	(5,998)	(5,998)
Average value	High profile	-	6,533	6,533
Percentage nil value	+5%	-	(33,910)	(33,910)
Percentage nil value	-5%	-	33,910	33,910
Tariff profiles	Low profile	-	(45,154)	(45,154)
Tariff profiles	High profile	-	38,951	38,951
Senior decision maker (SDM)	No SDM	-	(27,049)	(27,049)
Senior decision maker	Low	-	(18,747)	(18,747)
Senior decision maker	High	-	18,747	18,747
Timing	Low – 25% realised in first three years	(119)	(10,373)	(10,492)
Timing	High – 100% realised in first three years	57	4,997	5,054
Timing	Even over five years	(185)	(16,152)	(16,337)

Leasehold dilapidations

Dilapidation costs are an estimate of the expenditure required to return vacated leased buildings to their original condition as at the date of commencement of the lease. The movement in the year is as a result of updated information relating to property vacations, new properties leased during the year, and changes in the cost per square metre of the properties leased due to the general market conditions’ impact on prices.

LAA outstanding balances on funded cases

LAA funds legal aid across four main schemes: civil representation, legal help, crime higher and crime lower. Provisions for work in progress on funded cases, by scheme category, are as follows:

Balance at 31 March 2025	£000
Civil representation	274,608
Legal help	54,918
Crime lower	27,809
Crime higher	650,065
Total	1,007,400

At any point in time there will be unbilled costs for each of these schemes, pertaining to live cases. The value of unbilled work and costs is estimated each year using complex models and based on the latest data available. The resulting work in progress provisions are estimates of the expenditure required to settle any obligation in existence at the end of the reporting period. As per IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets, work in progress liabilities are recognised as provisions, rather than as payables, due to the measurement uncertainty.

As all liabilities for funded cases are expected to be settled within the next 12 months, no discounting of provisions for the time value of money is applied.

In recognition of the uncertainty inherent in estimates, a sensitivity analysis is performed for each major class of funded work in progress provision. Reasonable changes are made to the key assumptions in the models and the impact on the final work in progress balance calculated. Assumptions have been changed to either represent those that would have been used by the model based on historical data trends or flexed by a percentage that is considered appropriate by management to show the impact on the provision. For each assumption that is being analysed for sensitivity, only that assumption is changed: if two or more assumptions are changed at one time, the actual sensitivity of a change in assumption is obscured because of the potential interaction between the assumptions.

Overarching assumptions

Underlying the estimates of liabilities for unbilled work across all of the legal aid funding schemes and central funds is the modelling assumption that costs accrue at a constant rate throughout the lifetime of cases. This is a simplifying modelling assumption. In reality, it is accepted that costs are generally concentrated towards the beginning and the end of legal matters. However, LAA has demonstrated that, over a sufficiently large population of cases, this concentration of costs averages out to be equivalent to the assumption used within the modelling, and that costs accrue at a constant rate.

Further information on the assumptions for the civil representation and crime higher provisions, which are material to the MoJ financial statements, is provided below. Equivalent information for the legal help and crime lower provisions is available in LAA’s annual report and accounts, along with details of the valuation methodology used to calculate the provision for each scheme.

Civil representation: sensitivity analysis

The civil representation work in progress provision is calculated on a case-by-case basis using past patterns of activity, with multiple potential duration and cost outcomes. The calculations are segmented between the different expenditure streams and between different milestones in a case’s lifecycle. The model estimates activity to the next financial event in each expenditure stream, reflecting the business realities of billing timing.

The reasonable alternative assumptions below have been arrived at by observing the maximum historical high and low points within the actual source data of the respective models, adjusted for projected future trends.

The impact of the following reasonable alternatives to these inputs has been quantified.

		Increase in net financial liability		(Decrease) in net financial liability
Assumptions tested	Assumption	£m	Assumption	£m
Duration profile^{[footnote 1]}	Max duration + 1 year	18.5	Max duration - 1 year	(18.5)
Final billing duration^{[footnote 2]}	+15 days	0.9	-15 days	(0.9)
Average final bill value	+15%	31.7	-15%	(25.6)
Profile variance^{[footnote 3]}	-15%	17.0	+15%	(17.9)

The above inputs are case data-driven, with an overlay of management judgement, for example choosing the number of years of historical case data to use in creating historical profiles. It should be noted the inherent sensitivity of the civil representation work in progress provision is such that relatively small percentage movements in the above inputs could lead to the estimate crystallising at a materially different amount. All assumptions are reviewed periodically to ensure they remain appropriate.

Using these reasonable alternative assumptions, the fair value of the financial liabilities at 31 March 2025 could be higher by up to +18.3% (£68.1 million) or lower by up to -16.9% (-£62.9 million).

Crime higher: sensitivity analysis

Below are the reasonable alternative scenarios modelled. These relate to the flexing of certain assumptions, such as the number of cases expected to close or the amount of time a case takes to go through the system.

		Increase in net financial liability		(Decrease) in net financial liability
Assumptions tested	Assumption	£m	Assumption	£m
Price profiles^{[footnote 4]}	+10.0%	57.1	-10.0%	(57.1)
Completion rates^{[footnote 5]}	+2.5%	54.2	-2.5%	(49.0)
Case durations^{[footnote 6]}	-10.0%	45.6	+10.0%	(47.1)
Transfers^{[footnote 7]}	-20.0%	10.6	+20.0%	(10.6)

Using these reasonable alternative assumptions, the fair value of the financial liabilities at 31 March 2025 could be higher by up to +26.4% (£167.5 million) or lower by up to -25.8% (-£163.8 million).

Other provisions

Employment Tribunals and Employment Appeal Tribunal Fee Repayment Scheme: this scheme arose from a Supreme Court judgment on 26 July 2017 quashing the Employment Tribunals and the Employment Appeal Tribunal Fees Order 2013/1893. HMCTS identified £32.2 million in fees paid and to date has refunded £18.5 million including interest. As HMCTS is not able to reliably estimate the probability that the remaining fees will be claimed and refunded, no provision was recognised. Due to the length of time that the scheme has been open, passing the statutory obligation limit and the annual refunds now being claimed are minimal (financial year 2024 to 2025: £9,000), HMCTS is no longer recognising a contingent liability (financial year 2023 to 2024: £13.7 million) as it cannot estimate the amount that will be reclaimed in the future.

In July 2018, the Court of Protection, Civil Proceedings and Magistrates Courts Fees (Amendment) Order 2018 became law. The statutory order reduced a small number of fees which were mistakenly set above cost. These changes affect fees charged for certain proceedings in the Court of Protection, particular fees relating to civil proceedings in the magistrates’ courts (including Council Tax Liability Orders), fees for general applications in insolvency proceedings and the fees charged for High Court Judges sittings as arbitrators. The refund scheme applicable to these cases was launched by MoJ in January 2020.

The Council Tax Liability Order provision is now recognised as contingent liability as each recipient has been contacted and the refunds have significantly reduced. Although the scheme is not yet at the end of its statutory obligation period, HMCTS is now unable to reliably estimate the liability. In the financial year 2024 to 2025, HMCTS refunded £0.04 million (financial year 2023 to 2024: HMCTS refunded £0.3 million).

Following an internal review of fees, it was determined that an incorrect fee for low value personal injury claims was charged. The error arose as a result of a single flat fee being charged for cases which should have been treated as money claims and had a sliding fee scale applied. This has resulted in an overcharge of £16.4 million for which a refund scheme was launched in October 2020.

The refund provisions for personal injury and other claims (Court of Protection, insolvency, Royal Courts of Justice and other fees) at 31 March 2025 were estimated at £0.1 million (financial year 2023 to 2024: £2.1 million), and HMCTS continues to accept the liability for all claims until the end of the qualifying period in October 2026. The value of the provision has been reduced in order to reflect the expected use of the provision. Due to the significant reduction in the refunds being made, HMCTS has removed the contingent liability balance on the basis that it is unlikely that it will refund anything above the provision (financial year 2023 to 2024 contingent liability: £13.6 million).

Other provisions include a provision for an onerous lease of undeveloped land of £8.0 million (financial year 2023 to 2024: £8.2 million). The increase/decrease of £0.2 million relates to a change in the discount rate used to calculate the onerous lease provision.

21. Commitments under PFI and SCAs

21.1 Arrangements not recognised on the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position

As at 31 March 2025 there are no off-balance sheet PFI commitments.

21.2 Arrangements recognised on the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position

Project name	Entity	Contract start date	Duration (years)	Description
PFI contracts
Hereford and Worcester Magistrates’ Courts	HMCTS	August 2000	25	Provision of serviced accommodation for magistrates’ courts at Bromsgrove, Kidderminster, Worcester and Redditch. The contract term can be extended by mutual agreement for another 10 years. At the end of the contract term the buildings shall revert to HMCTS at no cost.
Manchester Magistrates’ Court	HMCTS	March 2001	28	Provision of serviced accommodation at Manchester Magistrates Court at Spinningfields in Manchester. The contract term can be extended by mutual agreement by up to 10 years. At the end of the contract term the building shall revert to HMCTS at no cost.
Derbyshire Magistrates’ Courts	HMCTS	August 2001	27	Provision of serviced accommodation for magistrates’ courts at New Mills, Chesterfield and Derby. The contract term can be extended (subject to agreement of mutually acceptable terms) by up to five years. At the end of the contract term the buildings shall revert to HMCTS at no cost.
Humberside Magistrates’ Courts	HMCTS	November 2001	25	Provision of serviced magistrates’ courthouses in Hull, Beverley and Bridlington. On expiry, HMCTS has the option of taking the assets back for a nominal amount of £3 million.
East Anglia	HMCTS	October 2002	25	Provision of Crown Court centres in Ipswich (five criminal courtrooms) and Cambridge (three criminal courtrooms). At the end of the contract term the buildings in Ipswich and Cambridge will revert to HMCTS at no cost.
Exeter	HMCTS	November 2002	32	Provision of a courthouse comprising four criminal courts, one civil court and four District Judge hearing rooms. At the end of the contract term the building will revert to HMCTS at no cost.
Sheffield	HMCTS	November 2002	27	Provision of a family hearing centre in Sheffield. At the end of the contract term HMCTS has the option of acquiring the under lease at the lower of its open market value or £2 million.
Avon and Somerset Magistrates’ Court	HMCTS	August 2004	27	Provision of serviced accommodation at Bristol Magistrates’ Court, North Somerset Magistrates’ Court and Avon and Somerset Probation HQ and Training Centre, both at Worle. The contract term can be extended by mutual agreement by up to five years. At the end of the contract term the buildings shall revert to HMCTS at no cost.
HMP Forest Bank	HMPPS	January 2000	26	Design, build, finance and operate an 800-place category B prison, HMP Forest Bank, on site of former Agecroft power station. Initial PFI contract extended by 12 months.
HMP Rye Hill	HMPPS	January 2001	25	Design, build, finance and operate a 600-place category B prison, HMP Rye Hill at Onley, near Rugby. A new houseblock has been built, increasing capacity by an additional 400 places by May 2025.
HMP Dovegate	HMPPS	July 2001	25	Design, build, finance and operate a 1,060-place category B prison and therapeutic community facility at HMP Dovegate, Marchington.
HMP Bronzefield	HMPPS	June 2004	25	Design, build, finance and operate a 500-place category B prison at Ashford in Middlesex.
HMP Peterborough	HMPPS	March 2005	25	Design, build, finance and operate an 840-place category B prison at Peterborough in Cambridgeshire.
HMP Thameside	HMPPS	March 2012	25	Design, build, finance and operate a 900-place category B prison at Woolwich in London.
Oakhill Secure Training Centre	HMPPS	May 2004	25	Design, construct and manage a secure training centre, located in Oakhill, Milton Keynes.
Prisoner Escort Custody Service	HMPPS	August 2020	10	The supply and running of the prison vans and escorts.
Other service concession arrangements
HMP Doncaster	HMPPS	October 2011	15	Manage and maintain a 1,145-place category B prison at Doncaster in South Yorkshire.
HMP Oakwood	HMPPS	April 2012	15	Manage and maintain a 2,100-place category C prison at Featherstone in the West Midlands.
HMP Northumberland	HMPPS	December 2013	15	Manage and maintain a 1,348-place category C prison at Morpeth in Northumberland.
HMP Five Wells	HMPPS	January 2022	10	Manage and maintain a 1,680-place category C prison at Wellingborough in Northampton.
HMP and YOI Parc	HMPPS	December 2022	10	Manage and maintain a 1,652-place category B prison and 60-place young offender institution at Bridgend in South Wales.
HMP Fosse Way	HMPPS	May 2023	10	Manage and maintain a 1,715-place category C prison at HMP Fosse Way in Leicester.
HMP Altcourse	HMPPS	June 2023	10	Manage and maintain a 1,164-place category B prison at HMP Altcourse, Liverpool.
HMP Ashfield	HMPPS	November 2024	10	Manage and maintain a 400‑place category B prison at Pucklechurch in South Gloucestershire

The total amount charged in the CSoCNE in respect of the service element of on-balance sheet (CSoFP) PFI or other service concession transactions was £808.7 million (financial year 2023 to 2024: £754.7 million).

Eight prisons are run by private sector operators under manage and maintain contracts. Assets covered by these contracts are classified as ‘On-balance sheet (CSoFP) PFI and other SCA contracts’ in accordance with IFRIC 12 Service Concession Arrangements.

Details of the imputed finance lease charges under SCAs recognised on the CSoFP are given in the table below for each of the following periods:

		31 March 2025		31 March 2024
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Rentals due not later than one year	43,184	43,184	48,536	48,536
Rentals due later than one year but not later than five years	121,806	121,806	152,262	152,262
Rentals due later than five years	94,774	94,774	102,542	102,542
	259,764	259,764	303,340	303,340
Less: interest element	(59,123)	(59,123)	(68,120)	(68,120)
Present value of obligations	200,641	200,641	235,220	235,220

The present value of liabilities under SCAs recognised on the CSoFP are given in the table below for each of the following periods:

		31 March 2025		31 March 2024
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Rentals due not later than one year	33,320	33,320	36,969	36,969
Rentals due later than one year but not later than five years	104,024	104,024	115,596	115,596
Rentals due later than five years	63,297	63,297	82,655	82,655
Present value of obligations	200,641	200,641	235,220	235,220

Details of the minimum service charge under SCAs recognised on the CSoFP are given in the table below for each of the following periods:

		31 March 2025		31 March 2024
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Service charge due within one year	834,443	834,443	763,084	763,084
Service charge due later than one year but not later than five years	2,169,403	2,169,403	2,218,154	2,218,154
Service charge due later than five years	394,644	394,644	651,289	651,289
Total	3,398,490	3,398,490	3,632,527	3,632,527

Future commitments are estimates based on assumptions, using the best information available. The SCA for HMP Millsike commenced in April 2025 and so while it is not included in the table at 21.2, the future service charges are included in the table above.

22. Capital commitments

Capital expenditure contracted for at the end of the reporting period but not included in these financial statements is as follows:

		31 March 2025		31 March 2024
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Property, plant and equipment	1,734,197	1,734,197	341,320	342,710
Intangible assets	10,898	10,898	5,779	5,779
Total	1,745,095	1,745,095	347,099	348,489

The main cause of the significant year-on-year movement in capital commitments is the different stages of construction of prison builds at each year end. HMP Millsike was within a year of completion at 31 March 2024, while work at HMP Gartree was in the relatively early stages at 31 March 2025.

23. Other financial commitments

MoJ has entered into non-cancellable contracts (which are not leases or PFI contracts) for the provision of services including the management of prisons and other contracted out services.

The payments to which MoJ is committed are as follows:

		31 March 2025		31 March 2024
	Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	£000	£000	£000	£000
Not later than one year	79,636	82,424	82,322	84,908
Later than one year but not later than five years	32,156	32,450	62,027	64,616
Total	111,792	114,874	144,349	149,524

24. Financial instruments

IFRS 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures requires disclosure of the role that financial instruments have had during the year in creating or changing risks an entity faces in carrying out its business.

As the cash requirements of MoJ are met through the parliamentary Supply Estimates process, financial instruments play a more limited role in creating and managing risk than would apply to a non-public sector body of a similar size. MoJ’s exposure to financial risk is mainly in respect of credit risk in relation to LAA’s receivables.

LAA receivables

LAA is exposed to minimal market, liquidity or interest rate risk: exposure to financial risk is mainly in respect of credit risk in relation to receivables.

Under the Legal Aid Act 1974, the Legal Aid Act 1988, the Access to Justice Act 1999 and the LASPO Act 2012, where funded clients have recovered or preserved property rather than obtaining damages, recoverable costs may be secured by a charge against the property. Under the Community Legal Service (Financial) Regulations 2000 as amended by the Community Legal Service (Financial) (Amendment) Regulations 2005 and the Civil Legal Aid (Statutory Charge) Regulations 2013, some of these debts are interest bearing debts that have interest due on the outstanding balance at 8% per year.

The income for statutory charge, statutory charge interest, contributions due from funded clients and recovery of defence costs are initially recognised under FRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers.

LAA receivables risk identification and management

LAA has an inherent risk within trade and other receivables, as these are not predisposed to straightforward cash collections. LAA recognises this risk and mitigates it in the case of statutory charge debts, where enforcement of the debt may be deferred, by securing land charges and using active credit management policies to recover unsecured debts. In some cases, the debt collection activities are outsourced to commercial debt collectors.

The size of the risk is reflected in the receivables impairment provision and cumulative fair value losses that total £254.7 million (31 March 2024: £247.3 million).

The majority of LAA’s trade and other receivables are the result of a statutory charge: £90.5 million (31 March 2024: £95.3 million) out of a total receivables balance after impairment of £156.5 million (31 March 2024: £172.6 million).

A high proportion of these are secured on property and settlement is deferred until the property is sold. Secured statutory charge debt is measured under IFRS 13 and reductions in carrying value are classed as fair value adjustments rather than impairments.

LAA provides for impairment of receivables based on historical cash collection experience and management assessment of likely recoveries, for each category of debt. This analysis is also used to inform the expected cash flows for trade and other receivables which are measured at fair value. This assumes that future performance will be reflective of past performance and there will be no significant change in the payment profile or recovery rates within each identified group of receivables. To address the risk that this assumption is incorrect, LAA undertakes a rollback review to compare previous estimated repayment profiles with the actual experience in subsequent years, to assess the accuracy of the profile and resulting impairment, adjusting assumptions where required. There have been no material adjustments to the assumptions as a result of this review at 31 March 2025.

There is no adjustment in the impairment of LAA’s receivables at 31 March 2025 to reflect the potential future impact of current economic circumstances. Based on the experience from previous recessions we do not consider any economic downturn would have a material impact on the fair value of receivables, and in particular secured debt, recognised in these accounts. The impact of a recession has historically resulted in a delay in the cash receipts on secured debt, due to the impact on the property market and delays to property sales which result in the repayment of the debt.

LAA receivables sensitivity analysis

LAA’s impairment model uses historical recovery profiles by debt category to estimate the provision required against debt balances. The impairment model is underpinned by specific assumptions including: the life of debt, the expected remittance profiles, and the discount rate is 2.15% nominal and -0.85% and 0.05% in excess of RPI real until February 2030 and post-February 2030 respectively (31 March 2024: 2.05% nominal and -1.05% and -0.05% in excess of RPI real until February 2030 and post-February 2030 respectively).

The impact of the following reasonable possible alternatives to these assumptions has been considered:

cash received evenly throughout the year rather than at the end of the year
predicted cash receipts used to calculate the impairment provision cashflows +/- 10%
discount rate +/- 1% (this rate is set by HM Treasury)

			Increase/(decrease) in net financial assets
		31 March 2025	31 March 2024
	Assumption	£m	£m
Income received	Evenly through the year	0.9	1.2
Expected cash inflows based on historic repayment profiles	+10%	8.7	9.1
Expected cash inflows based on historic repayment profiles	-10%	(9.4)	(9.3)
Discount rate	+1%	(10.5)	(10.0)
Discount rate	-1%	12.1	11.9
Highest change		21.7	22.2
Lowest change		(19.9)	(19.3)

These assumptions are reviewed annually and changed if management believes alternative assumptions are a better reflection of the underlying trends.

Other credit risks

Credit risk related to fines and penalties collection and banking activities is explained in the HMCTS Trust Statement.

The department is exposed to minimal credit risk in respect of other financial assets. The maximum exposure to credit risk is equal to the carrying amount of outstanding receivable balances. The department manages its credit risk by undertaking background and credit checks prior to establishing a debtor relationship.

The IFRS 9 approach to impairment provisioning is a forward-looking ‘expected loss’ approach. Expected losses on the department’s financial assets are not considered to be material.

Fair values

In accordance with IFRS 9 each financial asset is classified at initial recognition, or at the point of first adoption of IFRS 9, into one of three categories:

financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income (FVOCI)
financial assets at fair value through profit and loss (FVTPL)
financial assets at amortised cost

For assets at amortised cost, the amortised cost balance was reduced where appropriate by an allowance for amounts which were considered to be impaired or uncollectible.

Financial liabilities are classified into one of two categories:

financial liabilities at FVTPL
financial liabilities at amortised cost

Categories of financial assets and financial liabilities: carrying value compared to fair value

The following tables summarise the carrying amounts and fair values of financial assets and liabilities.

				31 March 2025
	Assets at FVOCI	Assets at FVTPL	Assets at amortised cost	Total
Financial assets:	£’000	£’000	£’000	£’000
Cash at bank and in hand	-	-	351,525	351,525
Trade and other receivables	-	90,481	329,352	419,833
Other financial assets	-	251	-	251
Total financial assets	-	90,732	680,877	771,609
		Liabilities at FVTPL	Liabilities at amortised cost	Total
Financial liabilities:		£000	£000	£000
Trade and other payables		-	1,203,871	1,203,871
Other financial liabilities		-	1,490,891	1,490,891
Total financial liabilities		-	2,694,762	2,694,762

				31 March 2024
	Assets at FVOCI	Assets at FVTPL	Assets at amortised cost	Total
Financial assets:	£’000	£’000	£’000	£’000
Cash at bank and in hand	-	-	378,584	378,584
Trade and other receivables	-	95,285	338,839	434,124
Other financial assets	-	239	-	239
Total financial assets	-	95,524	717,423	812,947
		Liabilities at FVTPL	Liabilities at amortised cost	Total carrying value at 31 March 2024
Financial liabilities:		£000	£000	£000
Trade and other payables		-	1,155,139	1,155,139
Other financial liabilities		-	1,662,061	1,662,061
Total financial liabilities		-	2,817,200	2,817,200

MoJ considers that the carrying amounts for cash and cash equivalents, trade payables and other liabilities approximate to their fair value due to the short-term maturities of these instruments.

Fair value hierarchy

MoJ uses the following hierarchy for determining and disclosing the fair value of financial instruments by valuation technique:

level 1: quoted (unadjusted) prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities
level 2: other techniques for which all inputs that have a significant effect on the recorded fair value are observable, either directly or indirectly
level 3: techniques which use inputs that have a significant effect on the recorded fair value that are not based on observable market data

All of the financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value fall within level 3.

25. Pension costs

Reconciliation of net pension (liability)/asset 2024 to 2025:

					31 March 2025				31 March 2024
		Present value of obligation	Fair value of plan assets	Impact of asset ceiling adjustment	Net (liability)/asset	Present value of obligation	Fair value of plan assets	Impact of asset ceiling adjustment	Net (liability)/ asset
	Note	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Funded schemes
HMPPS (probation)	25.1	(4,188,973)	5,898,595	(2,181,867)	(472,245)	(4,787,131)	5,618,264	(1,360,638)	(529,505)
Cafcass	25.3	(613,929)	772,427	(175,874)	(17,376)	(705,972)	754,047	(46,030)	2,045
Legal Services Commission	25.4	(219,512)	265,209	-	45,697	(249,980)	296,878	-	46,898
Oasis Restore Trust	25.5	(1,143)	1,484	(341)	-	-	-	-	-
Balance of funded schemes at 31 March		(5,023,557)	6,937,715	(2,358,082)	(443,924)	(5,743,083)	6,669,189	(1,406,668)	(480,562)
By-analogy schemes
HMCTS					(1,013)				(1,046)
CCRC					(4,303)				(4,749)
Total for by-analogy schemes at 31 March					(5,316)				(5,795)
Pension assets:
Core department and agencies					45,697				46,898
NDPBs					-				2,045
Total pension assets					45,697				48,943
Pension liabilities:
Core department and agencies					(473,258)				(530,551)
NDPBs					(21,679)				(4,749)
Total pension liabilities					(494,937)				(535,300)

25.1 Probation pension scheme: movements in the LGPS defined benefit obligation

				31 March 2025				31 March 2024
	Present value of obligation	Fair value of plan assets	Impact of asset ceiling adjustment	Net (liability)/ asset	Present value of obligation	Fair value of plan assets	Impact of asset ceiling adjustment	Net (liability)/ asset
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Balance at 1 April	(4,787,131)	5,618,264	(1,360,638)	(529,505)	(4,741,699)	5,198,010	(257,329)	198,982
Current service cost	(123,523)	-	-	(123,523)	(132,946)	-	-	(132,946)
Past service cost	(4,147)	-	-	(4,147)	(2,039)	-	-	(2,039)
Net interest (cost)/income	(231,604)	273,527	(65,991)	(24,068)	(224,797)	247,632	(12,223)	10,612
Total recognised in the CSoCNE	(359,274)	273,527	(65,991)	(151,738)	(359,782)	247,632	(12,223)	(124,373)
Scheme participant contributions	(45,994)	45,994	-	-	(43,173)	43,173	-	-
Employer contributions	-	196,201	-	196,201	-	184,420	-	184,420
Benefits paid after net transfers	190,746	(190,746)	-	-	196,638	(196,638)		-
Total cash flows	144,752	51,449	-	196,201	153,465	30,955	-	184,420
Actuarial gains/(losses) Changes in demographic assumptions	8,395	-	-	8,395	31,557	-	-	31,557
Changes in financial assumptions	758,309	-	-	758,309	281,261	-	-	281,261
Experience gains/(losses)	45,976	-	-	45,976	(151,933)	-	-	(151,933)
Return on assets excluding amounts included in net interest	-	(44,645)	-	(44,645)	-	141,667	-	141,667
Gain/(loss) due to effects of asset ceiling under IFRIC 14	-	-	(755,238)	(755,238)	-	-	(1,091,086)	(1,091,086)
Remeasurements through other comprehensive net expenditure	812,680	(44,645)	(755,238)	12,797	160,885	141,667	(1,091,086)	(788,534)
Balance at 31 March	(4,188,973)	5,898,595	(2,181,867)	(472,245)	(4,787,131)	5,618,264	(1,360,638)	(529,505)

The assumptions used by the actuaries were:

	2024-25	2023-24
	%	%
Inflation assumption	n/a	n/a
Rate of increase in salaries	3.55	3.55
Pension increase rate	2.75	2.75
Discount rate	5.80	4.85

The major categories of scheme assets were:

				31 March 2025				31 March 2024 restated^{[footnote 8]}
	Quoted	Unquoted	Total	Value as a percentage of total scheme assets	Quoted	Unquoted	Total	Value as a percentage of total scheme assets
	£000	£000	£000	%	£000	£000	£000	%
Equities	2,236,454	-	2,236,454	38	2,175,921	-	2,175,921	39
Corporate bonds	691,947	-	691,947	12	518,861	-	518,861	9
Property	-	307,784	307,784	5	-	247,549	247,549	4
Cash and cash equivalents	179,715	-	179,715	3	123,865	-	123,865	2
Investment funds and unit trusts	850,980	1,260,351	2,111,331	36	937,505	1,231,975	2,169,480	39
Other	-	371,364	371,364	6	-	382,588	382,588	7
Total	3,959,096	1,939,499	5,898,595	100	3,756,152	1,862,112	5,618,264	100

HMPPS offers retirement benefits within the LGPS to probation staff working within the probation service.

Past employees of the probation trusts, and LGPS probation staff who transferred to community rehabilitation service providers, to the former community rehabilitation companies and to HMPPS National Probation Service, are covered by the provisions of the LGPS via one pension fund, GMPF, administered by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council. The assets and liabilities from the former probation trusts’ own pension funds were transferred to GMPF. The total pension obligation will continue to be the responsibility of HMPPS and will be reported in the HMPPS annual report and accounts.

The LGPS is a statutory scheme primarily governed by the LGPS Regulations 2013 and the LGPS (Transitional Provisions, Savings and Amendment) Regulations 2014. These are subject to amendment over time. The LGPS is a funded, multi-employer defined benefit scheme. An LGPS pension scheme position is recognised in these accounts in accordance with IAS 19.

A liability arises as employees earn their future entitlement to payments when they retire. The pension fund is subject to an independent triennial actuarial valuation to determine each employer’s contribution rate. The contribution rates reflect benefits as they are accrued and reflect the past experience of the schemes.

The LGPS provides benefits on a ‘final salary’ basis, up to 31 March 2014, at a normal retirement age of 65. For pensionable service up to 31 March 2008, benefits accrued at the rate of one-eightieth of pensionable salary for each year of service. In addition, a lump sum equivalent to three-eightieths of final pay for every year of total membership is payable on retirement. Benefits accrued at the rate of one-sixtieth of pensionable salary for service from 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2014 with no automatic lump sum.

From 1 April 2014, the scheme provides benefits on a career average revalued earnings basis. Benefits accrue at the rate of one-forty-ninth of pensionable salary for each year of service. The scheme permits employees to take a lump sum payment on retirement in exchange for a reduction in their future annual pension. Members pay contributions of between 5.5% and 12.5% of pensionable earnings. Member contributions changed from 1 April 2014 and benefits accrued from this date are on a career average revalued earnings basis, with protections in place for those members in the scheme before the changes took effect.

Following the 2022 triennial valuation, the employer contribution rates for financial year 2023 to 2024 through to 2025 to 2026 is 26.5%. For the financial year 2024 to 2025, HMPPS paid employers’ contributions of £192.9 million to GMPF, relating to current probation staff, at 26.5% (financial year 2023 to 2024: £181.1 million at 26.5%).

The pension position as at 31 March 2025, as detailed in the table, is based on the actuarial report from Hymans Robertson LLP, the independent actuary for GMPF, in compliance with IAS 19. There were no plan curtailments or settlements during the year.

Full details of GMPF’s investment strategy statement, including its annual report and financial statements, and responsibilities of the GMPF management panel can be found on the GMPF website at www.gmpf.org.uk. Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council is the administering authority of GMPF.

A number of assumptions are made as part of the actuarial valuation process and the major assumptions are set out in the table above. The assumptions underlying the calculation of the net liability as at 31 March 2025 are used for accounting purposes as required under IAS 19.

Risks associated with the fund in relation to accounting

The net pension position for the financial year 2024 to 2025 is shown in the disclosure above. This reflects the appropriate assumptions, and all assumptions remain subject to annual review. As the economic climate changes and more information becomes available, assumptions will be updated to reflect this.

HMPPS is only liable for the pension obligations due to GMPF relating to probation service employees (and ultimately the community rehabilitation service employees under the Secretary of State for Justice Pension Guarantee). HMPPS is not liable for pension obligations of other employers that participate in the LGPS with GMPF.

Should HMPPS move to another pension fund or pension scheme, any exit payment to cover the pension liability due would be determined by GMPF and their actuary. However, there are no plans to move to another pension fund or pension scheme.

Discount rate

The discount rate is the most significant financial assumption for assessing pension obligations. An increase in the discount rate results in a decrease in the value of the pension liability for accounting purposes and vice versa. The discount rate used in these financial statements, as required by IAS 19, is based on the market yields on high-quality corporate bonds valued as at the reporting date of 31 March. Hymans’ corporate bond yield curve is based on the constituents of the iBoxx AA corporate bond index. The discount rate assumptions set by the actuary are considered appropriate. The increase in discount rate compared to last year has resulted in a significant reduction in the pension obligations, the impact of which is discussed further below in ‘Accounting for a net pension surplus and asset ceiling restriction’.

Inflation

The inflation assumption is the second most significant financial assumption for assessing pension obligations and, typically, drives the assumption for salary growth and pension increases (to the extent they are inflation linked). A higher inflation assumption will lead to an increase in pension liabilities. The government announced the measure of the Retail Price Index will change from 2030 to be in line with CPI including owner occupiers’ housing costs. This has been allowed for when deriving the inflation assumption. While there was no change to the inflation assumption this year, the actual increase in pension rate from April 2025 of 1.7%, which is lower than forecast, has resulted in an experience gain.^{[footnote 9]}

Mortality

The baseline mortality assumptions are based on analysis carried out by longevity experts Club Vita. Future life expectancy predictions use their continuous mortality investigation model. For the financial year 2024 to 2025, the continuous mortality investigation 2023 model has been used, which uses more up-to-date longevity data. This has resulted in a reduction in obligations.

Risk mitigation strategies

The GMPF management panel carries out a similar role to the trustees of a pension scheme. They are key decision makers for:

investment strategy
monitoring investment activity and performance
overseeing administrative activities
guidance to officers in exercising delegated powers
reviewing governance arrangements

Each local authority within Greater Manchester is represented on the management panel, along with the department. There have been no concerns raised by MoJ to date on GMPF’s investment or funding strategy or asset performance.

McCloud judgment (impact on LGPS)

The December 2018 McCloud judgment found that transitional arrangements put in place during the reform of firefighters’ and judges’ pension schemes were discriminatory on grounds of age. The government has confirmed this ruling also applies to the LPGS. For the 2022 valuation, McCloud liabilities were included as set out in Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities 2022 valuation letter.

A further government response was made on 6 April 2023 in relation to McCloud: ‘Amendments to the LGPS statutory underpin: government response’ can be found on GOV.UK. The actuary has advised that no further adjustment to the cost in the pension obligation is required for the financial year 2024 to 2025. Further information on the McCloud judgment can be found at www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/your-pension/2015-remedy.

Sensitivity analysis – change in assumptions relative to 31 March 2025 actuarial assumptions for probation pension liabilities (based on the change in liabilities)

	Actuarial value of liabilities on 31 March 2025	Actuarial value of liabilities on 31 March 2024
	£000	£000
Base case	4,188,973	4,787,131
0.1% decrease in real discount rate	4,262,958	4,875,580
One-year increase in member life expectancy	4,379,973	4,978,616
0.1% increase in the salary increase rate	4,192,117	4,797,136
0.1% increase in the pension increase rate (CPI)	4,261,870	4,867,126

The principal demographic assumption is the mortality assumption (member life expectancy). For sensitivity purposes, we estimate that a one-year increase in life expectancy would approximately increase the employer’s defined benefit obligation by around 3% to 5%. In practice the actual cost of a one-year increase in life expectancy will depend on the structure of the revised assumption (improvements to survival rates predominantly apply at younger or older ages). For the financial year 2024 to 2025, a one-year increase in member life expectancy would increase the liability by 4% or £168 million.

25.2 Accounting for a net pension surplus and asset ceiling restriction

The net probation pension scheme position at 31 March 2025 was a net surplus of £1,710 million, before any adjustment for the asset ceiling restriction (financial year 2023 to 2024: £831 million surplus). The Cafcass pension scheme also had a net surplus of £104 million (financial year 2023 to 2024: £41.2 million surplus) (see Note 25.3).

IAS 19 requires that the discount rate is determined by reference to market yields at the end of the reporting period, on high-quality AA corporate bonds of a currency and duration consistent with the currency and duration of the benefit obligations. The discount rate at 31 March 2025 is higher compared to the previous year, reflecting a higher yield on high-quality corporate bonds and reducing the pension obligation.

Under the requirements of IFRIC 14: The Limit on a Defined Benefit Asset, Minimum Funding Requirements and their Interaction, the agency is required to consider whether it is appropriate to limit the amount of net pension surplus in the financial statements which was determined under IAS 19 if the full economic benefit cannot be obtained. IAS 19 provides a definition of an asset ceiling for these purposes as the present value of any economic benefits available in the form of refunds from the plan or reductions in future contributions to the plan, with the lower of the surplus and the asset ceiling being recognised. IFRIC 14 provides further guidance on calculating figures for an asset ceiling with reference to minimum funding requirements.

A refund would only be available to the employer on exiting the scheme. However, participation in the current pension scheme is dictated by statute, meaning an exit would rely on the occurrence of an uncertain future event not wholly within the employer’s control (an act of Parliament). Therefore, the employer does not have an unconditional right to a refund of the surplus.

Adjustments to the funded pension schemes

The appropriate method is therefore to consider the economic benefit available as a contribution reduction. HMPPS has concluded that primary contributions to the scheme (financial year 2024 to 2025: 18.1%, financial year 2023 to 2024: 18.1%) and those related to ill health retirements (financial year 2024 to 2025: 4.3%, financial year 2023 to 2024: 4.3%) establish a minimum funding requirement for future contributions under IFRIC 14.

HMPPS is required to make contributions of 4.1% in relation to past service. IFRIC 14 requires that, to the extent that the contributions payable will not be available after they are paid into the plan, the entity shall recognise a liability when the obligation arises. This year, the actuary has changed their approach and has advised that a reducing time horizon to becoming fully funded is a more appropriate assumption to use, rather than using an assumption of a standard 20-year rolling period time horizon which was used last year. The actuary set the funding time horizon at 20 years at the last triennial valuation. In a change in accounting estimate since last year, HMPPS has reduced that period by the two years which have elapsed since that valuation. As a result, HMPPS has judged that the appropriate period over which to consider the secondary contributions is now 18 years. The actuarial assessment has indicated that this is how long it will take for the scheme to be fully funded and for these secondary contributions to therefore end.

HMPPS considers it appropriate to restrict the net asset relative to funding obligations by use of the asset ceiling. This means that the asset ceiling is applied to the net surplus, excluding the unfunded liabilities figure of £24.8 million. These unfunded liabilities are then added back to the closing liability position.

Having applied IFRIC 14 in line with the above facts and judgments, based on the present value of expected reductions in future contributions to the plan, the IAS 19 funded probation pension surplus of £1,726 million was reduced to a liability of £447 million (financial year 2023 to 2024: liability of £529.5 million). The closing position, including unfunded liabilities, is therefore £472 million. The Cafcass pension surplus has been reduced by £121 million to a liability of £17 million (financial year 2023 to 2024: a surplus of £2 million).

Further details of judgements made by HMPPS in determining the effect of the asset ceiling are available in HMPPS’ annual report and accounts 2024 to 2025.

25.3 Cafcass pension scheme: movements in the LGPS defined benefit obligation

				31 March 2025				31 March 2024
	Present value of obligation	Fair value of plan assets	Impact of asset ceiling adjustment	Net (liability)/ asset	Present value of obligation	Fair value of plan assets	Impact of asset ceiling adjustment	Net (liability)/ asset
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Balance at 1 April	(705,972)	754,047	(46,030)	2,045	(701,512)	689,429		(12,083)
Current service cost	(16,252)	-	-	(16,252)	(17,482)	-	-	(17,482)
Past service cost	(90)	-	-	(90)	(9)	-	-	(9)
Net interest (cost)/income	(33,236)	35,628	-	2,392	(32,614)	32,457	-	(157)
Total recognised in the CSoCNE	(49,578)	35,628	-	(13,950)	(50,105)	32,457	-	(17,648)
Scheme participant contributions	(6,384)	6,384	-	-	(6,291)	6,291		-
Employer contributions	-	17,464	-	17,464	-	17,672		17,672
Benefits paid after net transfers	30,445	(30,445)	-	-	21,969	(21,969)		-
Total cash flows	24,061	(6,597)	-	17,464	15,678	1,994		17,672
Actuarial gains/(losses) Changes in demographic assumptions	4,840	-	-	4,840	11,319	-		11,319
Changes in financial assumptions	113,862	-	-	113,862	23,023	-		23,023
Experience gains/(losses)	(1,142)	-	-	(1,142)	(4,375)	-		(4,375)
Return on assets excluding amounts included in net interest	-	(10,651)	-	(10,651)	-	30,167		30,167
Gain/(loss) due to effects of asset ceiling under IFRIC 14	-	-	(129,844)	(129,844)	-	-	(46,030)	(46,030)
Remeasurements through other comprehensive net expenditure	117,560	(10,651)	(129,844)	(22,935)	29,967	30,167	(46,030)	14,104
Balance at 31 March	(613,929)	772,427	(175,874)	(17,376)	(705,972)	754,047	(46,030)	2,045

The assumptions used by the actuaries were:

	2024-25	2023-24
	%	%
Inflation assumption	n/a	n/a
Rate of increase in salaries	3.75	3.85
Pension increase rate	2.50	2.60
Discount rate	5.80	4.80
Pension accounts revaluation rate	2.50	2.60

The major categories of scheme assets were:

				2024-25				2023-24
	Quoted	Unquoted	Total	Value as a percentage of total scheme assets	Quoted	Unquoted	Total	Value as a percentage of total scheme assets
	£000	£000	£000	%	£000	£000	£000	%
Equities	497,443	115,092	612,535	79.3	481,836	116,877	598,713	79.4
Gilts	69,518	-	69,518	9.0	64,094	-	64,094	8.5
Corporate bonds	30,897	-	30,897	4.0	31,670	-	31,670	4.2
Property	6,179	15,449	21,628	2.8	7,540	13,573	21,113	2.8
Cash and cash equivalents	-	20,083	20,083	2.6	-	13,573	13,573	1.8
Other	773	16,993	17,766	2.3	755	24,129	24,884	3.3
Total	604,810	167,617	772,427	100.0	585,895	168,152	754,047	100.0

Employees of Cafcass are members of the LGPS through the West Yorkshire Pension Fund. The scheme provides funded defined benefits based on pensionable salary. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of Cafcass and are invested in managed funds. Employer contribution rates are determined by a qualified actuary and on the basis of triennial valuations.

The scheme assets are measured at fair value. Scheme liabilities are measured using a projected unit method and discounted at the current rate of return on a high-quality corporate bond of equivalent term and currency to the liability.

The pension scheme surplus (to the extent that it is considered recoverable) or deficit is recognised in full on the face of the CSoFP. The movement in the scheme surplus/deficit is split between operating charges (within staff costs) and reserves in the case of actuarial gains and losses.

Funding and governance arrangements of the LGPS

The funded nature of the LGPS requires participating employers and its employees to pay contributions into the fund, calculated at a level intended to balance the pension liabilities with investment assets. Information on the framework for calculating contributions to be paid is set out in LGPS Regulations 2013 and the fund’s funding strategy statement. The employer contribution rate for the financial year 2024 to 2025 was 18.6%.

The last actuarial valuation was at 31 March 2022 and the contributions to be paid until 31 March 2026 resulting from that valuation are set out in the fund’s rates and adjustment certificate (employer contributions over this period will be: 19.4% for 2023 to 2024, 18.6% for 2024 to 2025, and 18.1% for 2025 to 2026).

The fund administering authority, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, is responsible for the governance of the fund.

Assets

The assets allocated to the employer in the fund are notional and are assumed to be invested in line with the investments of the fund for the purposes of calculating the return over the accounting period. The fund holds a significant proportion of its assets in liquid investments. As a consequence, there will be no significant restriction on realising assets if a large payment is required to be paid from the fund in relation to an employer’s liabilities. The assets are invested in a diversified spread of investments and the approximate split of assets for the fund as a whole (based on data supplied by the fund administering authority) is shown in the disclosures.

The fund administering authority may invest a small proportion of the fund’s investments in the assets of some of the employers participating in the fund if it forms part of their balanced investment strategy.

Risks associated with the fund in relation to accounting

Asset volatility

The liabilities used for accounting purposes are calculated using a discount rate set with reference to corporate bond yields. If assets underperform this yield, it will create a deficit in the accounts. The fund holds a significant proportion of growth assets which, while expected to outperform corporate bonds in the long term, creates volatility and risk in the short term in relation to the accounting figures.

Changes in bond yield

A decrease in corporate bond yields will increase the value placed on the liabilities for accounting purposes although this will be marginally offset by the increase in the assets as a result (to the extent the fund invests in corporate bonds).

Inflation risk

The majority of the pension liabilities are linked to either pay or price inflation. Higher inflation expectations will lead to a higher liability value. The assets are not perfectly correlated with inflation meaning that an increase in inflation will increase the deficit.

Life expectancy

The majority of the fund’s obligations are to provide benefits for the life of the member following retirement, so increases in life expectancy will result in an increase in the liabilities.

Exiting employers

Employers who leave the fund (or their guarantor) may have to make an exit payment to meet any shortfall in assets against their pension liabilities. If the employer (or guarantor) is not able to meet this exit payment, the liability may in certain circumstances fall on other employers in the fund. Further, the assets at exit in respect of ‘orphan liabilities’ may, in retrospect, not be sufficient to meet the liabilities. This risk may fall on other employers. ‘Orphan liabilities’ are currently a small proportion of the overall liabilities in the fund. The funding strategy statement sets out the risk management strategies for the risks that impact on the funding strategy of the pension fund. One of these strategies, for example, is that the fund administering authority has diversified investments held to mitigate the risk of asset volatility.

25.4 Legal Services Commission pension scheme (LSCPS) – closed

			31 March 2025			31 March 2024
	Present value of obligation	Fair value of plan assets	Net (liability)/ asset	Present value of obligation	Fair value of plan assets	Net (liability)/ asset
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Balance at 1 April 2024	(249,980)	296,878	46,898	(250,843)	317,264	66,421
Current service cost	-	-	-	-	-	-
Past service cost	-	-	-	-	-	-
Settlements	(784)	-	(784)	(614)	-	(614)
Net interest	(11,718)	13,950	2,232	(11,656)	14,796	3,140
Total recognised in the CSoCNE	(12,502)	13,950	1,448	(12,270)	14,796	2,526
Scheme participant contributions	-	-	-	-	-	-
Employer contributions	-	-	-	-	-	-
Benefits paid after net transfers	12,475	(12,475)	-	11,488	(11,488)	-
Total cash flows	12,475	(12,475)	-	11,488	(11,488)	-
Actuarial gains/(losses) Changes in demographic assumptions	354	-	354	3,964	-	3,964
Changes in financial assumptions	29,950	-	29,950	(876)	-	(876)
Experience gains/(losses)	191	-	191	(1,443)	-	(1,443)
Return on assets excluding amounts included in net interest	-	(33,144)	(33,144)	-	(23,694)	(23,694)
Gain/(loss) due to effects of asset ceiling under IFRIC 14	-	-	-	-	-	-
Remeasurements through other comprehensive net expenditure	30,495	(33,144)	(2,649)	1,645	(23,694)	(22,049)
Balance at 31 March 2025	(219,512)	265,209	45,697	(249,980)	296,878	46,898

The assumptions used by the actuaries were:

	2024-25	2023-24
	%	%
Inflation assumption	2.75	2.85
Rate of increase in salaries	n/a	n/a
Pension increase rate	2.85	2.90
Discount rate	5.75	4.80
Pension accounts revaluation rate	n/a	n/a

The major categories of scheme assets for the financial year 2024 to 2025 were:

				2024-25				2023-24
	Quoted	Unquoted	Total	Value as a percentage of total scheme assets	Quoted	Unquoted	Total	Value as a percentage of total scheme assets
£000	£000	£000	%	£000	£000	£000	%
Equities	33,655	-	33,655	12.7	48,892	-	48,892	16.5
Gilts	154,440	-	154,440	58.2	174,047	-	174,047	58.6
Corporate bonds	63,154	-	63,154	23.8	64,559	-	64,559	21.7
Cash and cash equivalents	11,278	-	11,278	4.3	6,234	-	6,234	2.1
Other	-	2,682	2,682	1.0	-	3,146	3,146	1.1
Total	262,527	2,682	265,209	100.0	293,732	3,146	296,878	100.0

On 1 April 2013, under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act, the Legal Services Commission was abolished and replaced by an executive agency of the department, LAA.

Nature of benefits, regulatory framework, and other entity’s responsibilities for governance of the LSCPS

The LSCPS is a registered defined benefit final salary scheme. The average duration of the LSCPS liabilities as at 31 March 2025 was 13 years. It has a Crown Guarantee, with the department as the sponsoring employer, but in effect retains most of the UK regulatory framework for pensions including scheme-specific funding. The LSCPS is operated under trust and as such, the trustees of the scheme are responsible for operating the scheme and they have a statutory responsibility to act in accordance with the scheme’s trust deed and rules, in the interests of the beneficiaries of the LSCPS, and UK legislation (including trust law). Any contributions that are paid to the LSCPS are defined by a funding arrangement between the trustees and the department.

Risks to which the LSCPS exposes the department

The nature of the LSCPS exposes the department to the risk of paying unanticipated contributions to the scheme in times of adverse experience. The most financially significant risks are likely to be:

members living for longer than expected
higher than expected actual inflation
lower than expected investment returns
the risk that movements in the value of the scheme’s liabilities are not met by corresponding movements in the value of the scheme’s assets
the LSCPS hedges 90% of its interest rate and inflation exposure as assessed on a gilts basis using index-linked and fixed-interest gilts
the LSCPS also holds a historical buy-in policy (approximatively 1% of scheme accounts) which fully matches benefits covered by the policy

The trustees of the LSCPS maintain a risk register which they use to determine appropriate responses to mitigate the risks identified. These include maintaining a high level of hedging for interest rate and inflation changes and a prudent approach when setting future longevity assumptions.

Expected contributions over the next accounting period and future funding arrangements

The department does not expect to contribute to the LSCPS for the year to 31 March 2026. The schedule of contributions dated 2 November 2022 confirms that no deficit or additional contributions are payable by the department to the scheme. Future contributions depend on the scheme’s funding position at each formal valuation and are set out in the scheme’s funding framework.

The funding arrangements and asset ceiling are set out in section 18 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012. Where the value of the scheme assets is more than 105% of the value of the scheme’s technical provisions on the effective date of an actuarial valuation, this constitutes a refundable surplus. The department can request payment of amounts not exceeding the refundable surplus.

The scheme would be required to make payment unless advised by the actuary that, because of events subsequent to the date of the actuarial valuation, payment would reduce the value of the assets of the scheme to less than 105% of the value of the scheme’s technical provisions.

Sensitivity analysis – change in assumptions relative to 31 March 2025 actuarial assumptions for LSC pension liabilities (based on total liabilities)

	Actuarial value of liabilities on 31 March 2025	Actuarial value of liabilities on 31 March 2024
	£000	£000
Base case	219,512	249,980
0.5% decrease in discount rate	233,686	268,089
One-year increase in life expectancy	228,292	257,979
0.5% per year increase in inflation	230,825	265,847

25.5 Oasis Restore Trust pension scheme

Oasis Restore Trust’s secure school became operational in 2024 to 2025. Pension scheme assets and liabilities are recognised in MoJ group accounts for the first time.

				2024-25
	Present value of obligation	Fair value of plan assets	Impact of asset ceiling adjustment	Net (liability)/ asset
	£000	£000		£000
Balance recognised at 1 April 2024	(115)	131	(16)	-
Current service cost	(682)	-	-	(682)
Past service cost	-	-	-	-
Settlements	-	-	-	-
Net interest	(20)	35	-1	14
Total recognised in the CSoCNE	(702)	35	(1)	(668)
Scheme participant contributions	(292)	292	-	-
Employer contributions	-	571	-	571
Benefits paid after net transfers	(308)	308	-	-
Total cash flows	(600)	1,171	-	571
Actuarial gains/(losses) Changes in demographic assumptions	3	-	-	3
Changes in financial assumptions	440	-	-	440
Experience gains/(losses)	(169)	-	-	(169)
Other actuarial gains/(losses)	-	158	-	158
Return on assets excluding amounts included in net interest	-	(11)	-	(11)
Gain/(loss) due to effects of asset ceiling under IFRIC 14	-	-	(324)	(324)
Remeasurements through other comprehensive net expenditure	274	147	(324)	97
Balance at 31 March 2025	(1,143)	1,484	(341)	-

The assumptions used by the actuaries were:

	2024-25
	%
Inflation assumption	3.05
Rate of increase in salaries	3.85
Pension increase rate	2.85
Discount rate	5.95

The major categories of scheme assets for the financial year 2024 to 2025 were:

		2024-25
	Total	Value as a percentage of total scheme assets
	£000	%
Equities	844	56.9
Gilts	88	5.9
Corporate bonds	221	14.9
Property	122	8.2
Cash and cash equivalents	59	4.0
Other	150	10.1
Total	1,484	100.0

Non-teaching employees of Oasis Restore Trust are members of the defined benefit LGPS, administered in accordance with the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013, through the Kent Pension Fund. The fund administering authority, Kent County Council, is responsible for the governance of the fund. The LGPS provides benefits based on career average revalued earnings. The last actuarial valuation was at 31 March 2022.

The primary employer contribution rate for the financial year 2024 to 2025 was 13.2%.

Sensitivity analysis – change in assumptions relative to 31 March 2025 actuarial assumptions for Oasis Restore Trust pension liabilities (based on total liabilities)

	Actuarial value of liabilities on 31 March 2025
	£000
Base case	1,143
0.5% decrease in discount rate	1,331
0.5% increase in long term salary increase	1,148
+0.5% adjustment to pension increases	1,331
0.5% per year increase in inflation	n/a
One-year increase in life expectancy	1,169

26. Contingent assets and liabilities

Contingent liabilities disclosed under IAS 37

MoJ has contingent liabilities as defined within IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets.

Quantified contingent liabilities

	31 March 2025	31 March 2024
	£m	£m
Headquarters employment tribunals including judicial claims The department is currently defending several employment tribunal claims at various stages	2	0.1
Headquarters other legal claims The department is engaged with a number of legal claims including judicial reviews challenging refusal to pay compensation for miscarriages of justice, and refusal to provide legal aid funding	5	0.2
Headquarters Data Protection Act There are claims against the department for alleged failure to comply with the Data Protection Act	-	0.7
Headquarters Judicial Review	0.1	0.1
HMPPS litigation claims Claims against HMPPS by staff, prisoners and third parties, where the likelihood of a liability arising is deemed possible but not likely, or not reliably measurable	69.1	49.1
HMCTS fee refunds – employment tribunal fees HMCTS operates a refund scheme following the quashing of the Employment Tribunals and Employment Appeal Tribunal Fees Order 2013/1893 in July 2017	-	13.7
HMCTS fee refunds – low value personal injury claim fees HMCTS operates a refund scheme to refund personal injury claim fees that were incorrectly charged as a flat rate rather than on a sliding scale	-	11.7
HMCTS fee refunds – other fees HMCTS operates a refund scheme for fees charged for certain proceedings in the Court of Protection, the magistrates’ courts, insolvency proceedings and fees charged for High Court Judges sittings as arbitrators	3.4	9.3
HMCTS legal cases HMCTS is involved in various legal cases dealing with ex gratia, compensation and other claims	0.3	0.4
Total	79.9	85.3

Unquantified contingent liabilities

Incidents ‘incurred but not yet received’: CICA holds an unquantifiable contingent liability in respect of a possible future obligation to individuals who have been victims of violent crime as at the end of the reporting period. This liability depends on uncertain future events occurring and an application being submitted which meets the criteria set out in the relevant scheme. Although CICA recognises that this contingent liability exists in respect of incidents incurred but not yet received, the amount of the obligation cannot be measured with sufficient reliability. This is because it is not possible to establish with any reliable certainty the total number of eligible victims who sustained eligible criminal injuries, the likelihood of an application being made and then qualifying for compensation, according to the multiple criteria contained in the scheme, and thereafter predicting with any reasonable certainty the potential value of any award which may be made, and the timescale in which this may occur.

Offers not accepted within time limits: Under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012, a claimant’s legal entitlement to an award crystallises on the date on which CICA receives written notice of acceptance by the claimant. There are cases where the deadline for acceptance has passed but CICA has not yet withdrawn the offer. CICA may exercise its discretion under the scheme in favour of the claimant and not withdraw the offer even though the deadline has passed. The total value of cases ‘on-offer’ and past the deadline is £1 million. Any possible liability would therefore be below that value.

Travel and subsistence: A review of travel and subsistence policies across MoJ and its executive agencies has identified that some expenses, where staff are required to travel to other work places in the course of their duties, have been treated incorrectly for tax and national insurance. MoJ is carrying out a more detailed review of its policies, including the review of expense claims to determine any tax due. At present, we are unable to provide a reliable estimate of the potential liability until the review is completed.

Contingent assets

At 31 March 2025, LAA has one contingent asset in relation to costs orders from legal proceedings. While recovery continues to be pursued, due to the uncertainty over the recoverable value it is not considered practicable to quantify this asset (31 March 2024: two with an unquantified value).

Associated departments and other central government bodies

MoJ is the parent of LAA, HMCTS, HMPPS, CICA and OPG agencies and the sponsor of NDPBs as listed in Note 29. All of these bodies are regarded as related parties with which the department has had various material transactions during the year. In accordance with the requirements of the FreM, these transactions have not been reported.

The Office of the Accountant General (OAG) oversees the administration of the Court Funds Office. OAG invests money on behalf of its clients in the Court Funds Investment Account. OAG is not an arm’s length body. It is an operating segment of MoJ and sits within the Chief Operating Officer’s Group.

In addition, the department had a number of transactions with other government departments and central government bodies, as well as with local authorities. The most significant of these transactions has been with HM Revenue and Customs, Home Office, PCSPS and HM Treasury.

Management personnel

The brother of Nick Goodwin, the Chief Executive Officer of HMCTS, is a partner at Ward Hadaway, a law firm offering legal representation for cases that fall within the provision of LAA. In the financial year 2024 to 2025, LAA made payments totalling £1.5 million (financial year 2023 to 2024: £1.4 million) to Ward Hadaway.

Other

Registry Trust Limited is a private company limited by guarantee with no share capital. It maintains the Register of County Court judgments on behalf of the Lord Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Justice. Revenue recognised from the Registry Trust Limited in the year amounted to £0.6 million (financial year 2023 to 2024: £0.6 million) with a total debtor balance due to us as at 31 March 2025 of £0.2 million (financial year 2023 to 2024: £0.2 million).

Other interests and related parties of ministers which do not concern the department are disclosed at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/list-of-ministers-interests.

During the financial year 2024 to 2025, no other board members or related parties have undertaken any transactions with MoJ. Compensation paid to management, including taxable benefits, is disclosed in the remuneration and staff report.

28. Third-party assets

MoJ holds, as custodian or trustee, certain assets belonging to third parties. These assets are not recognised in the CSoFP and neither MoJ nor the government has a direct beneficial interest in them.

Funds in court

MoJ manages funds held in court on behalf of clients who may be involved in a civil legal action, patients who are under the Court of Protection because they are not able to manage their property and affairs, and children under the age of 18. Client assets held at year end comprised cash, an equity index tracker fund and securities.

Cash holdings represent funds invested by UK Debt Management Office on behalf of the Accountant General in the Court Funds Investment Account and foreign exchange balances held on behalf of clients.

	31 March 2025	Restated 31 March 2024
	£000	£000
Cash at bank and on deposit	4,286,089	3,585,947
Securities	79,436	79,394
Total	4,365,525	3,665,341

Other third-party assets

	Official Solicitor and Public Trustee	Criminal injuries awards (CICA)	Pending legal aid amounts (LAA)	Bail monies (HMCTS)	Prisoner monies (HMPPS)	Total
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Cash	5,661	85,385	28,438	48,570	13,706	181,760
Investments	57,959	-	-	-	-	57,959
Non-cash assets	9,555	-	-	-	-	9,555
At 31 March 2025	73,175	85,385	28,438	48,570	13,706	249,274
At 31 March 2024	74,407	83,589	24,472	47,645	13,612	243,725

The rationale for each principal holding of third-party assets is as follows:

The Official Solicitor (OS) administers trusts and estates as administrator/trustee of last resort. The OS acts as a last resort litigation friend, and in some cases solicitor, for adults who lack mental capacity and children (other than those who are the subject of child welfare proceedings) in court proceedings because they lack decision making capacity in relation to the proceedings. The Public Trustee (PT) acts as executor or trustee where they have been appointed under a will or a new settlement with the aim of providing an effective executor and trustee service of last resort. The figures above represent the most up-to-date information available about assets managed by the OS and PT on behalf of clients.
CICA holds third-party compensation awards to minors. The purpose of this action is to ensure that the victim will be the sole beneficiary of the award (including accrued interest) when they reach their majority (18 years of age). Where appropriate, interim payments are made. Requests for these are assessed on a case-by-case basis.
LAA holds funds in respect of damages awarded to legally aided civil law clients and contributions payable by legally aided defendants in Crown Court trials. The outcome of the case and final costs assessment determines whether these funds are retained by LAA or returned to the clients.
HMCTS holds cash consisting of bail monies and monies held on behalf of court users while cases progress.
HMPPS holds cash on behalf of offenders.

29. The departmental boundary

Entities within the departmental boundary

Entities within the departmental boundary comprise supply financed agencies and those entities listed in the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates and Accounts) Order 2024, known as the Designation Order.^{[footnote 10]}

The core department

These are entities that are accounted for within the core accounting boundary. These entities are managed independently of the department.

Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace in England and Wales
Chief Coroner’s Office
Civil Justice Council
Civil Procedure Rule Committee
Criminal Procedure Rule Committee
Family Justice Council
Family Procedure Rule Committee
Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody
Independent Monitoring Boards of prisons, immigration removal centres and short-term holding facilities
Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman
Judicial College
Judicial Conduct Investigations Office
Judicial Office
Law Commission
Office of the Assessor of Compensation for Miscarriages of Justice
Office of the Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses
Office of HM Inspectorate of Prisons
Office of HM Inspectorate of Probation
Office of the Judge Advocate General
Office of the Official Solicitor
Office of the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman for England and Wales
Prison Service Pay Review Body
Public Trustee
Recognition Panel
Sentencing Council for England and Wales
Tribunal Procedure Committee

Supply financed agencies

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
HM Courts and Tribunals Service
HM Prison and Probation Service
Legal Aid Agency
Office of the Public Guardian

Other entities captured in the departmental group including executive NDPBs

Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service
Criminal Cases Review Commission
Gov Facility Services Limited
Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements
Judicial Appointments Commission
Legal Services Board
Oasis Restore Trust
Office for Legal Complaints
Parole Board for England and Wales
Youth Justice Board for England and Wales
Press Recognition Panel

The annual reports and accounts for the individual entities can be found at: www.gov.uk/official-documents

30. Events after the reporting period

In accordance with the requirements of IAS 10 Events After the Reporting Period, events are considered up to the date on which the accounts are authorised for issue. The date the accounts are authorised for issue is interpreted as the same date the accounts are certified by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

LAA’s online digital services have been subject to a cyber attack – as a result, those services were taken down and are gradually being restored, with contingency arrangements in place as at the date these financial statements are authorised for issue.

Cyber attack

On 23 April 2025, LAA became aware of a cyber attack on its online digital services, through which legal aid providers log their work and make claims for payment. On discovery of the attack, external experts were appointed to carry out an investigation into the incident. Evidence of data exfiltration activities was identified, but no evidence of data modification activities was found. LAA has carried out extensive work to assure itself that the data underlying its financial statements is unaffected by the incident.

Response and contingency arrangements

On 16 May 2025, LAA learned that the cyber attack was more extensive than originally thought and that the attackers had accessed a large amount of information relating to legal aid applicants. Customer‑facing and internal processing systems were therefore taken down and, while some systems have since been restored or part-restored, contingency measures remain in place.

Contingency measures include the payment (on provider opt-in) of temporary average payments for civil representation work that would otherwise be due for payment, and enhanced delegations to providers to enable applications for civil and criminal legal aid to be processed without significant delay. Where appropriate, parliamentary or HM Treasury approval has been obtained prior to the implementation of these measures.

LAA has reviewed the impact of these measures on its assets and liabilities at 31 March 2025 and its results for the financial year 2024 to 2025. As a result of this review, three intangible assets have been disposed of as at 31 March 2025: these assets will not be brought back online, and are being replaced with new, more secure applications. The disposed-of assets were fully amortised at 31 March 2025, and therefore there is no financial loss to report in the financial year 2024 to 2025. No other impact on the 2024 to 2025 financial statements has been identified.

LAA has worked to ensure that those most in need of legal support can continue to access the help that they need, and to provide financial support to legal aid providers. The contingency measures in place will impact on the LAA results reported for the financial year 2025 to 2026. However, LAA is at present unable to estimate the financial effect. LAA has received pre-action letters in relation to possible claims for damages as a result of the cyber attack.

In HMCTS, following a formal approval process in May 2025 a decision was made to cease the continuation and development of a specific video hearing project due to unresolved technical issues. This has resulted in a constructive loss of £3.63 million.

In HMPPS, since 31 March 2025 the decision has been taken to descope several prison build projects. The related assets have been considered for impairment and the accounts adjusted accordingly as we consider this to be an adjusting post-balance sheet event in accordance with IAS 10 Events After the Reporting Period. Where these represented a loss, they have been included within the losses statement in the parliamentary accountability report.

On 11 April, subsequent to the reporting date but prior to the approval of these financial statements, Dame Antonia Romeo left her position as Permanent Secretary of MoJ to join the Home Office. On the same day, Amy Rees left her position as Chief Executive of HMPPS to become Interim Permanent Secretary of MoJ. On 1 July, Amy Rees left her position as Interim Permanent Secretary of MoJ and Dr Jo Farrar took up her position as Permanent Secretary of MoJ.

Duration profile: in order to estimate the provision, profiles outlining the timing and magnitude of costs on civil representation cases are calculated. There is a degree of uncertainty in the calculation of these profiles, particularly due to the inherent time lag. LAA therefore makes the assumption that the level of variance could be equal to the variance if this year’s profile was extended by one year. LAA has assumed this degree of variance can be seen in either direction. ↩
Final billing duration: it can take some time for legal aid providers to compile and submit their bills to LAA once work has completed on a case. The estimate of the provision assumes that the average delay will be equivalent to that seen in the preceding quarter, but this does vary to a small degree over time. LAA therefore makes the assumption that this delay could vary by up to 15 days in either direction. ↩
Profile variance: in estimating the provision, LAA has made an adjustment to calculated billing profiles to account for recent changes in value and billing duration. These adjustments are based on emerging trends and therefore are subject to some uncertainty, which this variance represents. ↩
Price profiles: there is a degree of uncertainty in assuming that future prices will follow historical patterns, as prices vary to a small degree over time. The sensitivity analysis considers that prices could vary by as much as 10% in either direction. ↩
Completion rates: a number of representation orders never attract a bill and so do not close. The model uses historical data to determine the likely proportion that these cases represent of the live case population. There is inherent uncertainty in assuming that the proportion will be similar to that seen historically, which this sensitivity represents. The proportion is flexed by 2.5% in either direction, representing the variance that is seen in the proportion over time. ↩
Case durations: the estimate of the provision assumes that average case durations will be consistent with those seen in recent prior periods, but durations do vary to a small degree over time. LAA therefore makes the assumption that durations could vary by up to 10% in either direction. ↩
Transfers: an adjustment has been applied to the provision model at the end of the year to account for the fact that a proportion of subsequent payments relate to transferred cases, rather than redeterminations. This sensitivity assumes that the proportion of subsequent claims that fall into this category could vary by as much as 20% from historical levels. ↩
Values of scheme assets have been restated to match the final IAS 19 report. ↩
An experience gain (or loss) is the difference between what was expected (based on actuarial assumptions) and what actually happened regarding a pension plan’s obligations and assets. ↩
The 2017 to 2018 Designation Order established the Press Recognition Panel as part of MoJ’s departmental boundary. This is an administrative action on behalf of government with no change to the Lord Chancellor’s responsibilities as stated under the Charter. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport remains the policy lead in relation to the Press Recognition Panel. ↩

			2024-25		2023-24
		Core department and agencies	Departmental group	Core department and agencies	Departmental group
	Note	£000	£000	£000	£000
Cash flows from operating activities
Net expenditure	CSoCNE	(12,352,903)	(12,351,881)	(11,866,430)	(11,856,166)
Adjustments for non‑cash transactions		3,753,312	3,731,702	3,812,963	3,807,245
Finance expense	12	33,228	33,380	46,153	46,272
Movements in pensions		(68,703)	(70,178)	(49,594)	(50,124)
(Increase)/decrease in trade and other receivables	17	31,403	33,374	42,895	40,281
Less: movements in receivables not passing through the CSoCNE and receivable impairments		(15,077)	(14,532)	(15,762)	(15,783)
(Increase) in inventories		(7,183)	(7,416)	1,552	1,840
Increase/(decrease) in trade and other payables	19	31,841	56,219	(48,038)	(60,031)
Less: movements in payables relating to items not passing through the CSoCNE		7,726	7,633	6,130	6,143
Increase/(decrease) in other financial liabilities	19	(173,394)	(171,170)	(114,169)	(115,212)
Less: movements in other financial liabilities relating to items not passing through the CSoCNE		173,394	171,170	114,169	115,212
Utilisation of provisions	20	(2,405,540)	(2,406,758)	(2,273,805)	(2,274,367)
Intra-departmental adjustment through SoCiTE (between MoJ core and agencies)		21,086	13	90	20
Intra-group transfers of non-current assets		(32,130)	(55)	-	-
Net cash outflow from operating activities		(11,002,940)	(10,988,499)	(10,343,846)	(10,354,670)
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchase of property, plant and equipment	13	(1,409,474)	(1,413,253)	(1,276,353)	(1,280,376)
Purchase of intangible assets	15	(93,751)	(96,163)	(119,974)	(121,046)
Adjust for increase/(decrease) in capital payables		25,823	25,916	(39,455)	(39,468)
Proceeds on disposal of property, plant and equipment		(5,196)	(5,196)	(5,535)	(5,535)
Proceeds on disposal of assets held for sale		13,040	13,040	16,690	16,690
Net cash outflow from investing activities		(1,469,558)	(1,475,656)	(1,424,627)	(1,429,735)
Cash flows from financing activities
From the Consolidated Fund (Supply)		12,485,000	12,485,000	11,867,000	11,867,000
Grants from bodies external to the department		-	-	-	5,000
From the Consolidated Fund (non-Supply)		198,362	198,362	185,724	185,724
Capital element of finance leases and on-balance sheet private finance initiative (PFI) contracts		(188,579)	(191,072)	(183,750)	(187,167)
Repayment of local authority loans		(792)	(792)	(345)	(345)
Interest paid		(33,228)	(33,380)	(46,153)	(46,272)
Net cash inflow from financing activities		12,460,763	12,458,118	11,822,476	11,823,940
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents in the period before adjustment for receipts and payments to the Consolidated Fund		(11,735)	(6,037)	54,003	39,535
Payments of amounts due to the Consolidated Fund		(21,022)	(21,022)	(20,333)	(20,333)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents in the period after adjustment for receipts and payments to the Consolidated Fund		(32,757)	(27,059)	33,670	19,202
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period	18	336,463	378,584	302,793	359,382
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period	18	303,706	351,525	336,463	378,584

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Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Net Expenditure

Consolidated Statement of Financial Position

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Taxpayers’ Equity for the year ended 31 March 2025

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Taxpayers’ Equity for the year ended 31 March 2024

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025

1 a) Statement of accounting policies

1.1 Basis of preparation

1.2 Going concern

1.3 Accounting convention

1.4 Basis of consolidation

1.5 Machinery of government changes and restatement of comparatives

1.6 Changes in accounting policy and disclosures

1.7 Property, plant and equipment

Initial recognition and capitalisation threshold

Subsequent valuation method

Fair value hierarchy and inputs

Revaluation

Depreciation

Assets under construction

1.8 Intangible assets

Software developed internally or by third parties

Purchased software licences

1.9 Impairment

1.10 Non-current assets held for sale

1.11 Leases

Scope and exclusions – the departmental group as lessee

Initial recognition – the departmental group as lessee

Lease liability

Right of use asset

Subsequent measurement – the departmental group as lessee

Estimates and judgements

1.12 Service concession arrangements

1.13 Employee benefits

Defined benefit pension schemes

PCSPS and Judicial Pension Scheme

Funded pension schemes

Other defined benefit pension schemes

Early departure and injury benefit costs

1.14 Income

Fee income

HMCTS fee income

OPG fee income

Fines and penalties

The victim surcharge

Recoveries from other government departments and income from the NHS and other healthcare providers

Retail sales

Levy income of the Office of Legal Complaints (OLC) and Legal Services Board (LSB)

Other income

European Social Fund and other European funding

1.15 Grants payable and paid

1.16 Costs borne by the Consolidated Fund

1.17 Notional costs

1.18 Provisions

1.19 Contingent assets and liabilities

1.20 Value Added Tax

1.21 Third-party assets

1.22 Financial instruments

Recognition

De-recognition

Classification and measurement of financial assets

Financial assets at fair value through profit and loss

Financial assets at amortised cost

Impairment of financial assets

Classification and measurement – financial liabilities

1.23 Cash and cash equivalents

1 b) Critical accounting estimates and judgements

Critical accounting estimates and assumptions

Revaluation and impairment of non-current assets

Right of use assets

Net pension assets and liabilities

Provisions for liabilities and charges

LAA financial assets

Critical judgements in applying accounting policies

LAA financial assets

SCAs

2. Operating expenditure by operating segment

2. Operating expenditure by operating segment (continued)

3. Revenue from contracts with customers