Family Mediation Voucher Scheme
It has been announced that the Mediation Voucher Scheme will be extended until March 2026. The scheme aims to encourage families to resolve matters outside the Court arena and reach an amicable agreement. Since its introduction, it was found that of the first 7,200 families who used the scheme, two-thirds reached an agreement without needing to go to court.
What is the Mediation Voucher Scheme?
The scheme is used to contribute £500 towards mediation costs for all eligible cases. The cases that are eligible for the scheme include:
- Application regarding a child; or
- Application regarding family finances where you are also involved in an application for a child.
It is important to note that if your case is the latter, it is still £500 you will receive, even though there are two applications / disputes at hand.
Before attending the mediation sessions, you must attend a MIAM. The MIAM is not covered by the mediation voucher scheme. You will be assessed in the MIAM whether your case fits the eligibility.
What impact does this have?
It is hoped that the financial assistance will encourage parties to attempt mediation.
Families are encouraged to enter non-court dispute resolution such as mediation throughout the whole dispute. In fact, the Family Procedure Rules permits the Court to consider, at every stage in proceedings, whether non-court dispute resolution is appropriate. It is viewed that mediation, where parties have worked together to come to a suitable arrangement for them, will be better in the long run. In addition, it reduces costs and lengthy court disputes.
At Rogers & Norton, although we do not offer mediation as a service, our Family Department will always encourage and promote non-court dispute resolution.
Contact Us
For more information on our family services or to arrange an appointment with a member of our family team, contact us at 01603 666001, email enquiries@rogers-norton.co.uk or complete the ‘Request a Consultation‘ enquiry form on our website.