- new proposals to help people pay court and tribunal fees
- plans include raising income threshold for ‘Help with Fees’
scheme
- intervention will support vulnerable families through rising
cost of living
The scheme supports people on low incomes and with little to no
savings with court and tribunal fees, ensuring a person’s
financial situation does not limit their ability to seek justice.
The government has launched a 12-week consultation to expand the
scheme by raising the income threshold for eligibility and
providing better targeted support for those on lower incomes.
In the last year alone, the scheme provided over £80 million in
financial help for thousands of people so they can exercise their
legal rights in a wide range of cases such as family disputes,
housing issues and compensation claims for personal injury.
Today’s move could potentially help thousands more people with
the costs associated with their court and tribunal fees.
Justice Minister, , said:
We recognise this is a challenging time financially for people
across the country so it is vital we continue to ensure everyone
can afford justice.
The Help with Fees scheme has helped thousands of vulnerable
people to pay court fees since its inception in 2013 and our
reforms will make the scheme more generous and targeted at those
who need it most.
Proposed changes to income thresholds will vary depending on
different families and their circumstances, including the age of
any children. For example:
- For a couple with 2 children under 14, the monthly income
threshold would increase from £1,875 per month to £2,980.
- For a single person with no children the threshold would
increase from, £1,170 per month to £1,420.
For the first time eligibility for the scheme will also take into
account the extra costs associated with looking after a child
aged over 14, making sure families in these circumstances benefit
from more generous support towards the costs of court and
tribunal fees.
To make sure the most financially vulnerable are better
supported, the government also plans to change how the scheme is
targeted by:
- Providing more flexibility for individuals with money in
savings and investments by increasing the minimum capital
threshold for the scheme. This will allow applicants to have more
capital before they become ineligible for the scheme.
- Making it easier for the self-employment and those who work
variable shift patterns to qualify as the revised scheme better
recognises that income can fluctuate month- on-month.
- Ensuring those on higher incomes contribute more towards
their court and tribunal fees, by revising partial fee discounts
so the more an individual earns, the more they pay towards their
fees.
- Raising the scheme’s age cap to the state pension age of 66
from 61.
To qualify for the scheme an individual needs to be on a low
income or be on benefits such as Income Support, Universal Credit
or Pension Credit.
Some people on a higher income may still be supported by the
scheme. Individuals can check their eligibility and apply for the
scheme online.
Notes to editors
- Help with Fees is the single fee remission scheme applicable
to all courts and tribunals in England and Wales, the UK Supreme
Court and to tribunals with a UK-wide jurisdiction.
- The full consultation and proposals outlined can be found
here: Revising the ‘Help with
Fees’ remission scheme - GOV.UK
