Family & Divorce

Divorce Court Fee Increases

The government is set to impose a widespread increase in court fees including divorce fees from this autumn once statutory instruments have been laid.

21 Sep 2021

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Fees for filing an application for a divorce, nullity or civil partnership dissolution will increase from £550 to £592, with an application for a child arrangements order going from £215 to £232 and contested financial remedy proceedings from £255 to £275.

Many argue this is the wrong time to increase costs due to the impact of Covid-19

Opponents of the plans also felt increases were unjustifiable due to the quality of service provided by HM Courts & Tribunals Service.

But the government states: ‘The proposed increases reflect historic inflation and are therefore not an increase in real terms. The income generated from these proposals will go towards the running cost of HMCTS and will ensure that the courts and tribunals can continue to deliver access to justice for all.’

The government appreciated that some court users ‘might sometimes be frustrated by the service they receive’, but said the increased costs are only intended to cover rising costs and were not about profiting from court users.

With more cases adjourned than ever and it seems to take forever to get through to the court by telephone; will the fee increases improve any aspect of service provided by the courts?

M&P Commentary

Sally Ward, Senior Associate for the Family Team, said:

“Whilst we cannot change the current state of the court system, our team of divorce solicitors in Romford have a wealth of knowledge and experience in dealing with online courts and local courts to guide you through the process as smoothly as possible.
Why not contact us for a free 40-minute initial consultation to find out how we can help you.”