Consultation on Court Fees – outcome and proposed way forward
Date published:
The Department of Justice has today published the response to the public consultation on proposed changes to court fees, including annual increases.
The Consultation Response Report provides a summary of the responses received, highlights key issues and comments raised by respondents, details the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service (NICTS) response and outlines the proposed way forward.
Key proposals include a general inflationary uplift to court fees of 5%, 2% and 2% over the three-year period commencing 1 April 2026, a restructuring of the fees payable to enforce a money judgment in the Enforcement of Judgments Office and the introduction of new fees in the Small Claims Court.
These proposals will generate additional revenue for NICTS, estimated at £5.5m over the three-year period and £2.4m recurring annually by 2028-29. This additional revenue will help to alleviate continuing financial pressure and allow NICTS to continue towards a position of full cost recovery in the provision of civil and family court business, a requirement of Managing Public Money (NI).
Existing access to justice safeguards will remain in place. This will continue to ensure that court users on a low income or, in receipt of certain benefits, pay a reduced court fee or have their fee waived.
It is anticipated that changes will come into effect on 1 April 2026.
View the consultation response report and supporting documents at: Court Fees 2026-2029 - Consultation Response Report
Notes to editors:
- In April 2025, the Department of Justice launched a public consultation on proposed changes to court fees, including annual increases. The consultation period lasted 13 weeks, ending on 1 August 2025.
- Court fees are an important part of the overall funding model for NICTS. The fees currently charged recover 84% of costs and therefore do not cover the full costs associated with running the civil and family courts as is required under Managing Public Money (NI). NICTS must work to ensure that it continues to maintain an adequate stream of income by keeping pace with increased costs, thereby minimising the cost of courts to the taxpayer.
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