News & Insights

With the rising costs of living to contend with, those who are also in unhappy relationships may be putting off separating or divorce with concerns over additional costs, such as court or legal fees.

The good news is you might be able to get help to resolve disputes away from court with The Ministry of Justice Family Mediation Voucher Scheme 

Under the scheme, £500 mediation vouchers are provided to divorcing couples with the aim of helping them find mutually agreeable solutions and freeing up space in the family courts. It seeks to spare parents and their children the anxiety and cost of often lengthy and acrimonious courtroom disputes.

Vouchers can be claimed if there are children issues or arrangements to resolve in mediation. It is not available solely for a financial dispute, though we can deal with financial issues under the voucher as long as we are discussing children too.

The scheme, which has been running since April 2021, has been a success with around two-thirds of cases reaching full or partial agreements away from court.

Mediation is often a quicker and cheaper way of resolving disputes, which can spare families the trauma of attending court and the impact this can have on children. It involves couples working through their differences – led by an independent trained and accredited mediator – to reach agreements on child arrangements and finances following their separation, rather than have a judge decide for them.

Only mediators authorised by the Family Mediation Council (FMC) are taking part in the voucher scheme, which all Laceys Mediators are.

If you are experiencing family issues and would like to find out if you are eligible for the scheme please contact our Family Mediation team today.