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Money · court fees

Family court fees

Family court fees changed on 13 July 2026[1]. Applying for a child arrangements order on Form C100 now costs £270, a divorce application £628 and a contested financial order on Form A £321[1][2]. On a low income or benefits, Help with Fees can help you pay[3].

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C100 (children)[1]
Divorce application[1]
Form A (finances)[2]
Help with Fees income limit, single, a month[4]

01/ Court fees

Family court fees now

Family court fees in England and Wales from 13 July 2026
ApplicationFee
Child arrangements, prohibited steps or specific issue order (Form C100) fee 2.1(d)£270[1]from 13 July 2026
Divorce application fee 1.2£628[1]from 13 July 2026
Financial order, other than by consent (Form A) fee 5.4£321[2]from 13 July 2026
Application in existing proceedings without notice or by consent, including a consent order fee 5.1£62[8]from 13 July 2026
Application in existing proceedings on notice fee 5.3£195[9]from 13 July 2026

Fee numbers are those in the Family Proceedings Fees Order 2008, as amended from 13 July 2026[1]. The GOV.UK fees list (EX50) may still show the earlier amounts; the Order is the law.

02/ Find your fee

Which court fee do you pay?

Court fees are set by the Family Proceedings Fees Order 2008, and the amounts last changed on 13 July 2026[1]. A court fee is separate from legal costs: you pay any legal adviser on top[10]. Use the finder below to see what you would pay for your application.

The children fee is the same for a child arrangements order, a prohibited steps order and a specific issue order[11]. The same amount applies to applications for parental responsibility, special guardianship, an enforcement order, or financial provision for a child under Schedule 1 to the Children Act 1989[11]. If you apply for more than one Children Act order at the same time, you pay one fee, the highest[12].

If a case about your child is already before the court, a new application inside it is charged as an application within proceedings: £195 if the other parent is notified, or £62 by consent or without notice[12][9][8].

Court fee · fee 2.1(d)

£270

in force from 13 July 2026

Fee numbers and amounts from the Family Proceedings Fees Order 2008 as amended[1][2][8][9]. On a low income or benefits, Help with Fees can reduce a fee[3].

Estimate only. Beta service. Always check with official government websites. Check Help with Fees on GOV.UK.

03/ Which fee, when

Which fee applies when

The fee depends on what you are asking the court to do, and whether a case is already running[11][12]. Pick the situation closest to yours.

Before you apply, you usually attend a MIAM[13]. It typically costs £120–£150 per person, and is free if either of you qualifies for legal aid[14][15].

Applying on Form C100 costs £270[1]. Once the case is running, asking the court for something within it costs £195 on notice or £62 by consent[9][8]. If you have agreed arrangements, a consent order is applied for online or on Form C100, usually without a MIAM[16].

04/ Divorce

Divorce court fees

The fee to apply for a divorce is £628[1]. GOV.UK says it is not refunded once you have been sent notice that the application has been issued[17].

A joint application is only for couples who both agree and where neither is at risk of domestic abuse[20]. If you want Help with Fees on a joint application, you must both apply; if your husband or wife is not eligible or does not apply, you pay the full fee[17]. Applying alone, you can use your own Help with Fees reference number[17].

Money and property need a separate application with its own fee: if you agree, a consent order application costs £62; if you cannot agree and ask the court to decide, Form A costs £321[8][2]. GOV.UK says to apply for a legally binding arrangement about money and property before the final order[20]. See consent orders and separation agreements.

05/ Step by step

What a children case costs, step by step

See what each stage of a children case costs, from the MIAM to the order.

  1. Usually needed before a C100[13]. It typically costs £120–£150 per person[14], and is free for both of you if either qualifies for legal aid[15]. See MIAM cost.

06/ Help paying

Help with fees

Help with Fees can take money off a court fee[4]. You can apply before or after you pay; if you have already paid, you can get money back if you paid in the last 3 months and were eligible then[4].

Eligibility depends on your savings, benefits and income, and a partner's savings count too[4]. If you and any partner are 65 or younger, savings must be under £4,250 for a fee of £1,420 or less; if either of you is 66 or older, the limit is £16,000 whatever the fee[4].

You can get money off if you get certain benefits, including Universal Credit with earnings under £6,000 a year, or if your monthly income is £1,420 or less if single or £2,130 or less with a partner, plus £425 for each child aged 0 to 13 and £710 for each child aged 14 and over[4]. If you earn more, you may still get some money off[4].

Apply for each fee separately, online when you make your court application or on form EX160 sent with it[4]. For a divorce, applying online gives you a reference number to use so you do not pay upfront[17].

Before you apply for Help with Fees

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07/ Paying

How to pay a court fee

You can pay a court fee by phone with a debit or credit card, in person, or online, and if you use an online service you must pay online[28]. Some fees can be paid by cheque made out to "HM Courts and Tribunals Service"[28].

A case can involve more than one fee, for example the first application and a later application within the proceedings[28][12]. The fees on this page are for England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own court fees[28].

08/ Before court

The costs before court

Most applications need a MIAM first[13]. It typically costs £120–£150 per person[14], and it is free if either of you qualifies for legal aid[15], which is means-tested[29].

Mediation sessions after the MIAM are typically £130–£170 per person per hour[21]. For disputes about children, the Family Mediation Voucher Scheme can pay up to £500 towards them[22][30]; it does not cover the MIAM[23]. See MIAM cost, mediation cost and legal aid mediation.

11/ Costs orders

Will I pay the other side's legal costs?

Usually not in a children case[27]. The Supreme Court has said family cases depart from the civil rule that the loser pays, that in cases about children it is usual for no order to be made about costs, and that costs are not normally awarded unless a party's behaviour was reprehensible or their stance unreasonable[27].

In financial cases the general rule is also that each side pays its own costs, but the court can order costs because of a party's conduct, including whether and when they gave proper financial disclosure[39]. It can also take into account a failure to attend a MIAM or other non-court process without good reason[40].

12/ Child arrangements

How much does a child arrangements order cost?

The court fee to apply for a child arrangements order is £270, the same as for a prohibited steps or specific issue order[1][11]. On top of that there is usually a MIAM first, typically £120–£150 per person[14], and any legal advice you choose to pay for[10].

If the other parent does not follow the order, applying for an enforcement order costs the same as the first application, £270[11]. See child arrangement orders, the C100 form and specific issue orders.

13/ The total

How much does family court cost in the UK?

In England and Wales you pay the court fee for each application, and court fees are different from legal costs such as paying a solicitor[28][10]. If you represent yourself and qualify for Help with Fees, the court fee may be reduced or waived[34][4].

See the main costs together in the table below. A legal adviser can tell you how much their advice may cost[10].

The main costs of a family case in England and Wales
CostAmountWho pays
MIAM£120–£150 per personEach of you, unless one qualifies for legal aid
Mediation sessions£130–£170 per person per hourShared as you agree; voucher up to £500 for children disputes
Children application (C100)£270The person applying
Divorce application£628The applicant, or both on a joint application
Financial order (Form A)£321The person applying
Consent order£62Usually agreed between you
Legal adviserVariesYou, unless you get legal aid

Court fees from fees.ts[1][2][8]; MIAM[14][15]; mediation[21][41][22]; legal advice[10][38].

14/ Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much is the C100 court fee?

£270, in force since 13 July 2026[1]. The same fee applies to prohibited steps and specific issue orders[11].

How much does it cost to apply for a divorce?

The divorce application fee is £628[1]. On a joint application you both have to apply for Help with Fees, or the full fee is due[17].

What is the fee for Form A or a consent order?

A financial order application other than by consent (Form A) is £321[2]. An application for a consent order is £62[8].

Is family court free?

Some applications are: there is no fee for a non-molestation, occupation or domestic abuse protection order[12]. Most other applications have a fee, which Help with Fees can reduce on a low income[4].

Can I get help paying a court fee?

Yes, through Help with Fees, if your savings are low and you get certain benefits or your income is low, for example £1,420 a month or less if you are single[4].

Will I have to pay the other parent's legal costs?

Usually not in a children case: the court normally makes no order about costs unless a party behaved reprehensibly or unreasonably[27]. In financial cases, conduct such as poor disclosure can lead to a costs order[39].

How much does a child arrangements order cost?

The court fee is £270[1]. A MIAM beforehand typically costs £120–£150 per person[14], and any legal advice is extra[10].

Does the EX50 fees list show the current family court fees?

Not always. Fees changed on 13 July 2026 under the Fees Order[1], but when we checked on 28 September 2026, GOV.UK's EX50 family fees guide was still headed "Updated 10 July 2025"[12].

15/ Sources

Sources we checked

  1. The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026 (SI 2026/642), Schedule 3 — legislation.gov.uk
  2. The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026 (SI 2026/642), Schedule 3 — legislation.gov.uk
  3. GOV.UK — Get help with court fees
  4. Get help paying court and tribunal fees — GOV.UK
  5. FMC MIAM Standards (Aug 2022) PDF
  6. GOV.UK — mediation · FPR r3.9
  7. FPR Part 3, r3.8(1)(d)
  8. The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026 (SI 2026/642), Schedule 3 — legislation.gov.uk · Money and property when you divorce or separate: if you agree — GOV.UK
  9. The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026 (SI 2026/642), Schedule 3 — legislation.gov.uk
  10. Making child arrangements: apply for a court order — GOV.UK
  11. The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026 (SI 2026/642), Schedule 3 — legislation.gov.uk
  12. Family court fees (EX50) — HMCTS, GOV.UK
  13. FPR Part 3, r3.7
  14. GOV.UK — mediation · FMC State of Family Mediation 2025 (PDF)
  15. GOV.UK — mediation
  16. Apply for a court order (Making child arrangements if you divorce or separate) — GOV.UK
  17. Get a divorce: how to apply — GOV.UK
  18. Practice Direction 3A — Ministry of Justice
  19. Get an injunction if you've been the victim of domestic abuse — GOV.UK · Form FL401 — HMCTS, GOV.UK
  20. Get a divorce — GOV.UK
  21. FMC — What does mediation cost?
  22. GOV.UK — Family Mediation Voucher Scheme · GOV.UK news, May 2026
  23. GOV.UK — mediation · FMC — Mediation vouchers
  24. Practice Direction 12B, paras 13.1–13.6 — Child Arrangements Programme, justice.gov.uk
  25. Help in Planning Together for Children — Cafcass
  26. Apply for a court order (making child arrangements) — GOV.UK
  28. Court and tribunal fees — GOV.UK
  29. Check if you can get legal aid — GOV.UK
  30. GOV.UK — voucher scheme guidance · Practice Direction 36V — justice.gov.uk
  31. Apply for a court order — Making child arrangements if you divorce or separate, GOV.UK
  32. SRA Transparency Rules — Solicitors Regulation Authority
  33. Family Court Statistics Quarterly: April to June 2026, legal representation — Ministry of Justice
  34. Apply for a court order: get help from a legal adviser — GOV.UK
  35. How to hire a barrister — Bar Standards Board
  36. A Guide to the Family Law Arbitration Scheme — Institute of Family Law Arbitrators
  37. Evidence requirements for private family law matters, version 15 (15 June 2026) — Legal Aid Agency · Sample letters to get evidence of domestic abuse — Legal Aid Agency, GOV.UK · Legal aid: domestic abuse — GOV.UK
  38. Legal aid (printable guide) — GOV.UK
  39. Practice Direction 9A, paras 3.3–3.4 and protocol para 25 — justice.gov.uk
  40. justice.gov.uk FPR updates · SI 2023/1324
  41. Make an agreement through mediation (Making child arrangements if you divorce or separate) — GOV.UK

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