Rising court fees and the impact on Family Court fees
In the below article, Bronte Ashworth, a Paralegal in AFG Law’s family team, covers the impact of the rising court fees on the Family Court.
The Ministry of Justice has announced that as of 1st April 2025, 171 court and tribunal fees will be increasing, subject to parliamentary approval. The majority of the fees being increased will be subjected to an increase of 3.2%, however a small number of fees will be increased by 13.5%.
How will this affect family applications?
This increase will include over 60 Family Court fees, with the most notable increases being;
- Applications to commence divorce proceedings, nullity proceedings or civil partnership dissolution- fee to increase from £593 to £612.
- Applications to commence financial remedy proceedings to determine the financial claims stemming from a marriage or civil partnership where agreement can’t be reached- fee to increase from £303 to £313.
- Applications for Financial Orders to formalise agreements- fee to increase from £58 to £60.
- Section 8 orders of the Children Act 1989 (Child Arrangements Order, Prohibited Steps Orders & Specific Issue Orders)- fee to increase from £255 to £263.
- D11 Applications, general application (on notice) Protection from Harassment Act 1997 & Court Fund Pay Out – fee to increase from £184 to £190.
- Special guardianship orders (section 14A(3) or (6)(a), 14C(3) or 14D(1) of the Children Act 1989)- fee to increase from £255 to £263.
- Care and supervision order (Section 31 of the Children Act 1989)- Court and tribunal fees: updates from April 2025 – GOV.UK fee to increase from £2437 to £2515
Why are the court fees rising?
The reason for this increase includes:
- Accounting for the changes to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
- Supporting the efficient and effective running of HMCTS by providing additional funding and subsidising the costs of the services that are not cost imposed.
- Reducing the costs to the taxpayer.
Decreased fees
The Family fees being decreased include:
- On a request for further attempt at execution of a warrant at a new address where the warrant has been returned to the court not executed- fee to decrease from £30 to £6
- Issue of default costs certificate- fee to decrease from £65 to £18
- Search of central index of parental responsibility agreements- fee to decrease from £45 to £17
- Amendment of application for matrimonial/civil partnership order- fee to decrease from £95 to £59
Help with Fees
The Help with Fees remission scheme will remain in place. This scheme supports those with lower financial means, who are unable to afford court or tribunal fees to access justice.
The help with fees scheme can provide either a full or partial fee remission this can be accessed either before the application is made, or up to three months after.
More information regarding the help with fees remission scheme can be found on the government website.
Alternative options
If you are unable to access Help with Fees or Legal Aid, you may wish to focus on alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
ADR can include mediation or solicitor led negotiations, this method will often be more time and cost effective and will negate the need for court fees.
ADR is available for a range of financial and child arrangement disputes.
Get in touch
Contact AFG LAW’s family department today by calling 01204 377600 or emailing familysolicitor@afglaw.co.uk.