Help paying court and tribunal fees

Going to court often comes with fees, even if you didn't plan to go.  

You may have to pay court fees for:

• making an application
• replying to an application made against you 
• setting aside or cancelling a judgment
• appealing a court decision
• keeping your name off the insolvency register
• requesting certificates to prove you’ve paid your debt back

You’ll usually need to pay fees upfront but some can be included in costs you’re ordered to pay after a judgment e.g if a county court judgment (CCJ) has been taken out against you. 

There’s also a fee to apply for a hardship payment order if your assets have been frozen by your bank, for example, and you need to access some of that money to pay for essential living costs. 

You can be charged court fees by bailiffs (as part of their expenses) and you might be asked to pay your creditor’s legal fees if they win after taking you to court. 

You can find a list of different court and tribunal fees you might be asked to pay under the ‘civil enforcement proceedings’ heading on the government website.

Your eligibility will depend on:

• your savings
• your income
• which benefits you get

If you have a low income but don’t get benefits, you may still be able to get help with your fees. 

It’s also worth checking to see if you’re missing out on any benefits. There might be some you may not realise you’re entitled to.

Savings

You’ll only be eligible for help if you (and your partner if you have one) don’t exceed the maximum limit on savings.

How much you’re allowed to have depends on your age.

If you’re both under 66 years old, you can have:

• up to £4,250 in savings if your fee is £1,420 or less
• up to £16,000 in savings if your fee is over £7,000 

Most fees are less than £1,420.

If you or your partner are 66 or older, you’re allowed up to £16,000 in savings, regardless of the fee.

Income

This is anything you earn before tax.

Report the lower income for either the last calendar month or your average income over the last three calendar months. 

You can get help if you get:

• no more than £1,420 if you’re single
• no more than £2,130 if you have a partner

You’re allowed to earn an extra:

• £425 for each child up to 13 years old
• £710 for each child over 14

Benefits

You might be eligible for help with fees, if you’re getting any of these benefits:

• income-based jobseeker’s allowance
• income-related employment and support allowance
• income support
• the guarantee credit part of pension credit
• universal credit (and you earn less than £6,000 a year)

You can, but you must have paid the fee in the last three months and have been eligible for help when you paid it.

Send an EX160 form to the same court or tribunal you paid the fee to.

Yes, you’ll need to apply for each fee you need help with separately. 

You can apply for help with fees either online or by post. 

If you’re applying online, you need to do it when making your application.

If you’re applying by post, download and complete form EX160 and send it in with your court application. You can also ask your nearest court for a copy of this form.

If you need help with Court of Protection fees, you need to submit a COP44A form with your application instead of an EX160.

If you need help with your application, you’ll need to contact the court or tribunal office you’re applying to. Their contact details can be found on the government website.

Yes. You’ll need to appeal in writing within the time limit the court gives you when they write to tell you they’ve refused your application. This is usually 14 days from the date you get the letter.