Child Arrangements Order Court Fees and Help with Fees (EX160)

Current Court Fees

As of the July 2026 HMCTS fee schedule, the key fees for a child arrangements order application are:

• Form C100 (new application) — £270
• Form C2 within existing proceedings (on notice) — £195
• Form C2 (by consent or without notice) — £62
• Enforcement application — £270

If you are a grandparent requesting permission to apply and filing the substantive application together on Form C100, you pay a single £270 fee — not two fees. The permission request and the main application are processed as one filing.

These fees are set by the Family Proceedings Fees Order and published in the HMCTS EX50 fee schedule. Older sources may reference previous amounts (£263, £215) — the figures above are the current ones.

Who Qualifies for Fee Remission

The Help with Fees (HWF) scheme allows people on low incomes to apply for full or partial court fee remission using Form EX160 or the online equivalent.

Step 1: Capital test. For fees up to £1,420, you must hold less than £4,250 in total liquid savings if you are under 66, or less than £16,000 if you are 66 or older. If your savings exceed these limits, you pay the full £270.

Step 2: Benefits test. If you pass the capital test and receive a qualifying passporting benefit, you get a full fee remission. Qualifying benefits include:

• Universal Credit with gross earned income under £6,000 per year
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Guarantee Pension Credit

Step 3: Income test. If you pass the capital test but do not receive a qualifying benefit, the scheme assesses your gross monthly household income against published thresholds. Depending on your income level, you may receive a full or partial remission.

How to Apply for Fee Remission

Online. Apply through the GOV.UK Help with Fees service before you submit your C100. The system generates a reference code (beginning with "HWF") that you enter on your C100.

Paper (Form EX160). Download and complete Form EX160, then submit it with your C100 and supporting financial documents (benefit award letters, bank statements, pay slips).

The court processes the remission application alongside your C100. If the remission is approved, you pay nothing (full remission) or a reduced amount (partial remission). If refused, the court will ask you to pay the full £270 before the application can proceed.

Other Costs to Plan For

The £270 court fee is only one cost. Others you might encounter:

• MIAM fee — £90 to £150 (Legal Aid may cover it for eligible applicants; the Family Mediation Voucher Scheme offered support for post-MIAM sessions and was extended through March 2026, but did not cover the MIAM itself)
• Court bundle copying — if the case becomes contested, you will need to print and paginate a bundle under Practice Direction 27A
• Solicitor consultation — if you seek limited legal advice, fixed-fee consultations typically range from £150 to £300
• Travel and time off work — hearings may be in person at the designated Family Court

None of these additional costs are covered by the HWF scheme — it applies only to the court filing fee.

Practical Tips

• Apply for Help with Fees before you submit the C100, not after. If you file without a remission code and cannot pay, the application stalls.
• Keep copies of everything you submit — the HWF reference code, your EX160, and your supporting financial documents.
• If your financial circumstances change between applying and the hearing, update the court. The remission applies to the filing fee only; if you later file an enforcement application (another £270), you will need a new remission application.

Our Child Arrangements Order Process Guide includes a fee help calculator worksheet and step-by-step instructions for the entire application process, from fee remission through to the final hearing.

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