The BSB’s 2026-27 plan: a 12% budget rise and a clear signal on AI

The Bar Standards Board published its 2026-27 business plan on 8 April, setting out its financial position and priorities for the year ahead. Total running costs are projected at nearly £24 million - a 12% increase on the current year’s £21.1 million. The BSB is forecast to receive £19.7 million from practising certificate fees, representing 71.6% of total fees collected. 

The Office for Legal Complaints has separately requested an 11% budget increase to deal with record complaint volumes. The cost of oversight, across both bodies, is rising. 

Four priorities for 2026-27

The plan sets out four areas of focus. The first is operational: assessing and investigating cases more quickly, reducing backlogs, and improving the experience for those reporting concerns. The second is cultural: improving confidence in the BSB’s approach to bullying, harassment, and sexual harassment, with a target date of April 2027. The third covers the barristers’ market. The fourth, described as “enabling success”, covers internal capability and leadership. 

The AI commitment chambers should note

The plan commits the BSB to implementing a “robust policy to regulate appropriate entities and provide guidance for safe artificial intelligence and technology adoption.” This is not yet formal guidance, but it is a clear statement of direction, and it aligns with the Bar Council’s separate confirmation, in its April 2026 response to the Civil Justice Council’s AI consultation, that BSB-specific AI rules are expected shortly. 

"Our ambition is to reduce the unit costs of our operational work in the coming years and to create a regulatory system that operates effectively. We will also improve confidence in our approach to tackling bullying, harassment and sexual harassment, with better experiences for those who report concerns."

Steve Haines, BSB Interim Director General, BSB 2026-27 Business Plan, 8 April 2026 

Where BSB scrutiny will fall

Rising PCF costs reflect a regulatory environment that is getting more resource-intensive. What the business plan makes clear is where that scrutiny will increasingly fall: complaints handling, EDI compliance, AI oversight, and governance. Chambers that have those areas in order are better placed — both for what the BSB is prioritising now and for the formal AI guidance that is coming.