29.08 Civil Court Fees

The Ministry of Justice has issued a consultation on changes to civil fees in the county court, High Court and magistrates’ court. The aim is to further the Government’s stated policy of moving towards full cost recovery. The Government hopes that the changes will bring in an additional £38m a year.

A significant change would see magistrates’ court fees increase to represent 100% of the full cost: the Ministry currently estimates that such fees recover only 55% of their costs. The proposals would also see a realignment of fees for enforcement proceedings in the county court and High Court.

The proposals have a particular emphasis on enforcement processes and simplifying the magistrates’ court fees order. In particular, the consultation proposes the following:

• Increases in the civil and family fees, particularly those for enforcement processes, in order to maintain full costs recovery for civil business and keep the relevant family trees aligned with the civil equivalents;
• A simplified fees order for magistrates’ court that increases fees to bring cost recovery levels up from 55% to 100%.

Click here for the consultation document.

The closing date for responses is 4th March 2009