Increase in Family Court Fees

An increase in certain court fees for family court services came into force on 30 September 2021.  The Government stated the income generated will go towards the running costs of HM Courts & Tribunals Service. The key changes impact divorce applications, children’s orders and financial orders.  A full list of the changes is available here.  We’ve also shared a list of common services is below.

If you have any questions about your family application, remember to contact our office on 01274 727373.

Which Fees Are Increasing?

A full list of the Family Court fees increases can be found here.  Here’s a list of the key changes for family law applications:

1. Divorce Petition: the fee for filing a petition for a divorce, nullity or civil partnership dissolution will increase from £550 to £593;
2. Children’s Matters: any new applications under the Children Act 1989 to request permission to issue proceedings or for an order or directions to be made concerning the child(ren) e.g. Child Arrangements Order, Prohibited Steps Order, Specific Issue Order or Special guardianship order will increase from £215 to £232;
3. Financial Orders: an application for a financial remedy order will increase from £255 to £275;
4. Consent Orders: an application for an agreed consent order will increase from £50 to £53;
5. Non-Molestation or Occupation Orders: there is currently no fee for applying for these orders;