Costs for applications to the family court

Family Court Fees for Children Cases and Financial Orders.

These are the fees you pay directly to the court when you make an application for an order.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/706509/ex50-eng.pdf Civil and Family Court https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/706509/ex50-eng.pdf

document dated February 2018 (latest) sets out the specific costs for an application in children matters and for financial orders.

It is 20 pages long and not always immediately clear which costs are applicable for the application you are going to make, so we have set out the primary fees on this page.

Please note full details of costs are within the https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/706509/ex50-eng.pdf sheet and we would always recommend clarifying with the court as well.

The Civil Appeals Office have their own set of fees for appeals set out in their document https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/688199/form-200-eng.pdf from April 2016. Similarly the Family Division of the High Court have their fees listed in the https://formfinder.hmctsformfinder.justice.gov.uk/fp200-eng.pdf document.Copying at the court. Please note that most applications will need 3 copies and the original document to be filed at the court (at total of 4). If you ask the court to make these copies, there will be charges which can be high, so we always suggest you make your copies at home and always check with the court first if you are unsure about how many copies they require, many forms have this information on the forms but it is not always easy to find.

People on a low income? If you have a low income or are on benefits then you may be able to take advantage of a fee waiver for fees in full or in part,

the Form is here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/634329/ex160-eng.pdf There is a significant amount of information on how to get help with your fees on the https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/634331/ex160a-eng.pdf guide.

Payment Most courts accept debit or credit cards, cash, postal orders or cheques made out to ‘HM Courts & Tribunals Service’ or 'HMCTS' and crossing cheques/postal orders 'Account Payee' plus writing your name, address and case number on the rear.

It can be difficult to get through to some courts on the telephone at times or you may have to make an appointment or drop your documents into a dropbox at the court, so a cheque is often the easiest method of payment. Combining applications. Where appropriate you can combine applications on one application form such as the C100 Form, which can be filed with a number of applications for orders that you may require the court to determine, this will save you money, as one fee only is usually applicable.

Fees applicable

Injunctions Non-Molestation Order - No Fee

Occupation Order - No Fee

Children matters, Child Arrangements Order - £215

Prohibited Steps Order - £215

Specific Issue Order - £215

Special Guardianship Order -£215

Enforcement Order - £215

Breach of Existing Enforcement Order - £95

Appeals

Appeal of District Judge or Magistrates Order - £215

Appeal to the Family Division of the High Court - £215

Appeal to the Court of Appeal - £528

Financial Orders,

Application for a Financial Order - £255

Application By Consent for a Financial Order £50

Applications Within Proceedings.

Application On Notice - £155

Application By Consent or Without Notice £50

We recommend always checking with the courts before filing your application regarding costs and how many copies they require of documents