Family Court Fee Increases 2026
Last updated: July 2026
by Jess Knauf, Director of Client Strategy at Mediate UK. Reviewed by Belinda Atkins, Managing Director, Family Legal Ltd. This blog is written in accordance with our editorial standards. Figures verified against the Ministry of Justice announcement of 19 June 2026. Information is current as of 10 July 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Most family court fees increased by 2.6% on 13 July 2026
- A divorce application rises from £612 to £628, a C100 children application from £263 to £270, and a contested financial order (Form A) from £313 to £321.
- The financial consent order fee (an application without notice) rises from £60 to £62.
- The changes are not retrospective. You pay the fee that applies on the day the court receives your application and payment.
- The Help with Fees scheme can reduce or remove the fee entirely if you are on a low income or certain benefits.
- The court fee is usually the smallest part of the overall cost of a case. How you reach agreement matters far more.
Family Court Fee Increases July 2026
The family court fee increased from 13 July 2026 raise most fees in England and Wales by 2.6%. A divorce application increases from £612 to £628, a C100 children application from £263 to £270, a contested financial order from £313 to £321 and a consent order from £60 to £62. The new rates only apply to fees paid on or after 13 July 2026 and are not backdated.
The family court fee increases from 13 July 2026 affect almost every application separating couples make, from divorce to children and financial orders. If you are part-way through a separation, or about to start one, you may be wondering whether the changes affect your case and whether it makes sense to apply before the new fees take effect. This guide sets out the new figures in full, explains what they mean for each type of case, and covers the help available if you cannot afford a court fee.
What Are the New Family Court Fees From 13 July 2026?
The Ministry of Justice announced the changes on 19 June 2026. Around 170 fees across HM Courts and Tribunals Service rise by 2.6% to reflect inflation, with the changes taking effect on 13 July 2026. The full list is on GOV.UK (as of June 2026). These are the fees most relevant to family cases:
| Application | Fee to 12 July 2026 | Fee from 13 July 2026 | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Divorce, dissolution or nullity application | £612 | £628 | £16 |
| C100 children application (child arrangements, prohibited steps or specific issue order) | £263 | £270 | £7 |
| Financial order, contested (Form A) | £313 | £321 | £8 |
| Financial consent order (application without notice, including a clean break) | £60 | £62 | £2 |
| General application on notice (D11, C2 and similar) | £190 | £195 | £5 |
| Financial provision for children (Schedule 1, Children Act 1989) | £263 | £270 | £7 |
| Enforcement of a judgment or order | £114 | £117 | £3 |
The consent order fee, the application where you have already agreed your settlement, rises by just £2 because it sits in the “applications without notice” category. Fees are the same whether you apply yourself, through a mediator-supported package or through a solicitor. They are paid directly to HM Courts and Tribunals Service and are separate from any professional fees.
How Do the New Court Fees Affect Your Case?
The impact depends on the type of case and how many applications it involves. This table shows what a typical case pays in court fees before and after 13 July 2026:
| Case type | Court fees to 12 July 2026 | Court fees from 13 July 2026 | Extra cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Divorce only | £612 | £628 | £16 |
| Divorce with an agreed financial consent order | £672 (£612 + £60) | £690 (£628 + £62) | £18 |
| Divorce with contested financial proceedings | £925 (£612 + £313) | £949 (£628 + £321) | £24 |
| Children application (C100) | £263 | £270 | £7 |
| Agreement reached in mediation, made binding by consent order | £60 | £62 | £2 |
How does the increase affect a divorce application?
The divorce fee rises by £16, from £612 to £628. It is paid once, by the applicant, or shared in a joint application if you agree to split it. The fee covers the whole divorce process through to the final order (the document that legally ends the marriage). It does not cover any financial order, which is a separate application with its own fee. For the wider picture of what a divorce costs beyond the court fee, see our guide to the realistic costs of divorce.
How does the increase affect a children case (C100)?
The C100 fee rises by £7, from £263 to £270. This covers applications for child arrangements orders, prohibited steps orders and specific issue orders. Before applying, most people must attend a MIAM (a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting, the individual meeting where a mediator explains your options) unless an exemption applies. If mediation resolves the arrangements, no C100 fee is payable at all, because no court application is needed.
How does the increase affect a financial order or consent order?
There are two different fees here, and the gap between them is the most important number in this whole update. A contested financial order, started with Form A, rises from £313 to £321. A financial consent order, where you have already agreed and simply ask the court to approve it, rises from £60 to £62. A consent order is the document that makes your financial agreement legally binding and, with a clean break, ends financial claims between you for good.
From 13 July, reaching agreement rather than contesting saves £259 on the court fee alone, and usually thousands more in professional fees. The July increase slightly widens that gap, because the contested fee rises by £8 while the consent fee rises by £2. Our guide to financial consent orders explains how the process works.
Family Law Service
Already Agreed Your Finances?
Our partner Family Law Service offers a fixed-fee Online Clean Break Consent Order, drafted by their legal team and filed with the court for you.
Should You Apply Before 13 July 2026?
If your paperwork is ready, applying before 13 July 2026 means you pay the current fee, and there is little reason to wait. The changes are not retrospective, so anything paid before that date stays at the old rate. That said, the savings are modest, between £2 and £16 per application. It would not make sense to rush an application that is not ready, submit a consent order before the agreement is properly drafted, or claim a MIAM exemption you do not qualify for just to beat the deadline. An application the court rejects or adjourns will cost you far more in time than the fee increase costs in money.
“We always encourage people to keep court fees in perspective. The July increase adds £16 to a divorce and just £2 to a consent order, but the difference between agreeing your finances and fighting them out in court is measured in thousands, not pounds. Where people can save real money is in how they reach their agreement, not in when they pay the court fee.”
Jess Knauf, Director of Client Strategy, Mediate UK
Thinking of starting before the fees change?
A MIAM is the first step for most family court applications, and the starting point for mediation too. Book yours now, or arrange a free call if you would like to talk your options through first.
Can You Get Help Paying Family Court Fees?
Yes. Three schemes can reduce what you pay, before or after the increase:
- Help with Fees: if you are on a low income or receive certain benefits, this scheme can reduce or remove the court fee entirely. Details are on GOV.UK (as of July 2026).
- Legal aid for mediation: legal aid is means-tested and can cover the MIAM and mediation sessions if you qualify. Check eligibility HERE.
- The family mediation voucher scheme: a one-off government contribution of up to £500 per family towards mediation in cases involving child arrangements. It is not means-tested, though it does not cover the MIAM itself, and a finance-only case does not qualify. Details are on the Family Mediation Council website (as of July 2026).
Our guide to the family mediation voucher scheme explains how the £500 contribution works and who qualifies.
Summary
Most family court fees in England and Wales rose by 2.6% on 13 July 2026. A divorce application goes from £612 to £628, a C100 from £263 to £270, a contested financial order from £313 to £321 and a consent order from £60 to £62. Agreeing your settlement remains far better value than contesting it.
The changes are not backdated, so ready applications submitted before 13 July pay the current rates. The increases are small compared with the cost gap between an agreed and a contested case, and Help with Fees, legal aid and the mediation voucher scheme remain available.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the new family court fees take effect?
The new fees took effect on 13 July 2026. Applications paid for on or before 12 July 2026 pay the current fees.
Will I be charged extra if my case is already with the court?
No. The changes are not retrospective. If you have already paid a court fee, no top-up is due. The new rates only apply to fees paid on or after 13 July 2026, including any new applications made within an existing case after that date.
Is the consent order fee going up in July 2026?
Yes. The fee for a financial consent order, an application without notice, rises from £60 to £62 on 13 July 2026. It remains far lower than the £321 fee for a contested financial order, so agreeing your settlement stays much cheaper than asking the court to decide.
Should I rush my application in before 13 July 2026?
Only if it is genuinely ready. Submitting before 13 July saves between £2 and £16 per application, but a rushed or incomplete application can be rejected or delayed, which costs more in time than the fee increase costs in money.
Can I avoid court fees altogether?
Sometimes. If you qualify for Help with Fees, the court fee can be reduced or removed. If you resolve child arrangements in mediation, no C100 fee arises because no court application is needed. A divorce always carries the application fee unless a fee remission applies.
Does mediation reduce what I pay in court fees?
Yes, in most cases. Couples who reach agreement in mediation can make finances binding with a £62 consent order instead of a £321 contested application, and often avoid a £270 C100 application entirely. The £500 mediation voucher can also go towards session costs in cases involving child arrangements.
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Ready to Take the Next Step?
Whether you need a MIAM before a court application or want to reach an agreement without one, we can help you keep costs down whatever the court fees do. Book a MIAM to get started, or arrange a free call if you would like to talk things through first.
Our Legal Partnerships
Mediate UK works closely with trusted legal professionals to ensure your agreements are legally robust. Our partners include
DFA Law LLP (agreements managed by SRA-regulated solicitor Rachel Adams, SRA 452750),
independent barristers at St Ives Chambers (including Charmian Jackson, registered with the Bar Standards Board),
and The Family Law Consultant (managed by SRA-regulated solicitor Rhiannon Compton, SRA 600560).
These legal professionals support our clients with consent orders, independent advice, and final barrister reviews.
