Public Sector and Probate Drive 7% Rise in High Court Claims

Why It Matters

The trend signals heightened litigation risk for government bodies and estate administrators, reshaping law‑firm demand and funding priorities across the sector.

Key Takeaways

• High Court claims up 7% in 2025, 8,271 total.
• Public‑sector claims rose 34%, across all government bodies.
• Probate claims increased 13%, driven by demographics and economics.
• CAT class‑action filings fell to 12 in second half 2025.
• Seddons GSC became top claimant, overtaking Clyde & Co.

Pulse Analysis

The Solomonic review shows that 2025 was one of the busiest years for newly issued High Court claims, with a 7 percent rise to 8,271 cases. The surge was anchored by public‑sector litigation, which jumped 34 percent as ministries, local authorities and regulators faced an expanding array of disputes. Probate matters followed suit, climbing 13 percent in the Chancery Division as ageing populations, rising property values and increasingly complex family structures fuel contention over estates. Together, these sectors accounted for the bulk of the year‑over‑year increase.

The upward trajectory in public‑sector and probate filings reshapes the competitive landscape for litigators. Firms such as Clyde & Co and DAC Beachcroft remain active, but the claimant leaderboard saw Seddons GSC leap to the top, reflecting a shift toward specialist boutique practices. Meanwhile, the Competition Appeal Tribunal recorded a sharp drop in class‑action matters, with only a dozen new claims in the latter half of 2025, signalling reduced appetite for collective redress in competition disputes. These dynamics encourage law firms to diversify portfolios and allocate resources toward high‑value, sector‑specific expertise.

Looking ahead, Solomonic anticipates that 2026 could see renewed funding streams as the government moves to reverse the PACCAR decision, potentially reigniting class‑action activity at the CAT. Demographic trends—an ageing populace and tighter housing markets—are likely to keep probate disputes on an upward path, while fiscal pressures on public bodies may push more cases toward alternative dispute resolution. Practitioners should therefore monitor policy shifts, invest in data‑driven risk assessments, and consider collaborative approaches to mitigate exposure and capitalize on emerging litigation opportunities.