Law Weblog

Civil fees to rise

The Lord Chancellor’s Department announced significant rises in fees charged to people who wish to use courts of civil jurisdiction. It is another move towards making the courts of England and Wales pay their way. The family proceedings courts will increase fees by 650 per cent. An order seeking contact with a child in care will now cost £150, seven times the current cost of £20. A council tax liability order in the magistrates’ court will rise for 70p to £3 and produce additional revenue of over £5 million. This fee, like many others has not risen since 1993.