Court and tribunal fees will rise from 8 April 2025. We can help you understand how the changes may affect your legal case.
From 8 April 2025, a wide range of court and tribunal fees in England and Wales are set to rise, following the government’s latest review. The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that 171 fees will be updated, pending parliamentary approval. These changes could impact anyone currently pursuing, or considering, legal action in both civil and family courts.
At MDS, we believe it’s important that our clients are fully informed about upcoming changes that may affect access to justice or increase the cost of pursuing legal remedies.
Why Are Court Fees Increasing?
The Ministry of Justice states that the increases are intended to ensure that the court system remains efficient and sustainable. By adjusting fees in line with inflation, the government hopes to:
- Help fund essential court services,
- Reduce the overall burden on taxpayers, and
- Support court users through improved efficiency and infrastructure.
Most of these adjustments are being made to account for the impact of inflation over recent years.
How Much Are Fees Increasing?
There are two types of increases being introduced:
- A standard rise of 3.2% for most fees, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate from March 2023 to March 2024.
- A higher increase of 13.5% for certain specific fees, where previous adjustments did not keep up with inflation from March 2022.
These changes apply across a variety of services, including civil claims, enforcement proceedings, and tribunal matters.
Most fees will rise by 3.2%, while a smaller number will see an increase of 13.5%. Some examples are:
- Financial Order Applications (not by consent): Increasing from £303 to £313.
- Financial Consent Orders: Increasing from £58 to £60.
- Applications within proceedings: Increasing from £184 to £190.
Help for Those Struggling with Fees
The Help with Fees scheme will remain in place. This means that individuals with limited financial means may still be eligible for a full or partial fee waiver. The scheme considers income, savings, and benefit entitlement.
Quote from author: Tereza Fotiadi, Specialist Medical Negligence Solicitor from MDS, said “With court fees set to rise this April, it’s more important than ever for individuals to understand how these changes could impact access to justice.”
MDS is a specialist medical negligence law firm. We specialise in claims involving cancer, maternity, and cauda equina syndrome. Our expert solicitors represent clients all around England and Wales, and we are dedicated to helping people who have been injured by medical negligence.
If you are concerned about any care that you or a member of your family has received, please contact our experienced team on 0116 254 7456 or email: enquiries@moosaduke.com. You can also enquire online by clicking here.
