In the United Kingdom, a tribunal is a specialist court with jurisdiction over a certain area of civil law. Tribunals are generally designed to be more informal and accessible than 'traditional' courts.
They form part of the national system of administrative justice, with tribunals classed as non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs).
His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (commonly HM Courts and Tribunals Service or HMCTS) is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. It was created on 1 April 2011 (as Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service) by the merger of Her Majesty's Courts Service and the Tribunals Service.
The agency is responsible for the administration of the courts of England and Wales, the Probate Service and tribunals in England and Wales and non-devolved tribunals in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It works from about 600 locations across the United Kingdom.