Minister responds positively to our call for unfair court fee to be scrapped

The Minister for Courts and Legal Services has responded positively to our campaign to scrap a controversial court fee that is risking the safety of domestic abuse survivors.

Our concerns

When you’re granted an insolvency solution because you can’t afford to repay your debts, your details, including your address, are usually published in the public insolvency register. Domestic abuse survivors and anyone else at risk of violence can ask for their address to be withheld.

They do this by applying for a person at risk of violence (PARV) order. But this costs £308.

Survivors of domestic violence often struggle with debt after leaving an abusive relationship, so it’s not uncommon for them to end up applying for an insolvency solution.

Having escaped an abusive relationship, they are keen to make a fresh financial start. But the PARV order fee puts them in yet another difficult position.

They can pay the £308 to apply to have their address withheld from the public register and potentially stop a violent ex from tracking them down. But most have no more than £75 a month left over after covering their essential costs.

We believe people who have already suffered severe trauma shouldn’t be put in a situation where they must choose between their safety and paying the bills.

Although the fee may be waived if people meet certain income-related criteria, we don’t think survivors of domestic abuse should be forced to jump through these hoops.

The government’s response

In response to our call for change, the MP responsible for Courts and Legal Services said:

“The government is committed to tackling the scourge of domestic abuse and was elected with a mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade….

“We note that your organisation has been campaigning for fees not to be charged to people applying for PARV orders, and I note your view that applying for fee remission is unnecessarily arduous.”

What’s next?

The minister concluded by saying the government was keen to investigate the matter further and officials would be in touch to discuss it in more detail. We think this all sounds very promising and will make sure we keep you updated.