The MoJ (Ministry of Justice) Government Voucher

The Mediation Voucher Scheme, established by the Ministry of Justice, aims to support families navigating child arrangements disputes. Under this initiative, individuals engaged in mediation to resolve child arrangements (with or without additional discussions relating to finances) can receive financial assistance of up to £500 per case or family. This voucher option is only available once per family, but this financial support underscores the government's commitment to fostering cooperative solutions when children are involved and minimizing the strain on judicial resources. 

Is the Family Mediation Voucher still available?

 At the moment, the MoJ have committed to funding the Mediation Voucher until April 2026, when the Government plans to have announced plans for the future of funding for family mediation. The Mediation Voucher is only available once per family.

How does the mediation voucher work?

 Once you are deemed eligible for the voucher, your mediator will apply for the funding, and it is payable directly to them. This covers some of the costs that would otherwise be payable by yourself. The Voucher cannot be used to fund the initial MIAM assessment meetings or the drafting of any paperwork following the end of the process. You personally do not receive a voucher nor any payment. Your mediator makes the application for you and claims the money on your behalf.

How much can I claim with the new voucher scheme?

The voucher scheme gives up to £500 per family for mediation, either relating to child arrangements or for financial arrangements where children are involved. Remember that the £500 is per family (per case), not per person.

Can I claim the voucher scheme as well as Legal Aid?

Families where one participant is Legally Aided and the other does not qualify may choose to use the voucher scheme so that the non- Legal Aid participant can also receive funding.

Can I claim the voucher twice?

No. You can only claim one voucher per family (case). If your costs exceed £500 then you will need to either privately fund this or apply for Legal Aid.

What if my costs exceed £500?

 Currently the scheme is only providing a fixed £500 on a per case basis, and you cannot claim more than one voucher. So, if your case exceeds £500 then you will need to cover the remaining costs independently.

What if the other participant is claiming Legal Aid?

You can still claim the voucher even where one of the participants are on Legal Aid as it is allocated per case, not per person. Remember however that the voucher does not cover the cost of a MIAM, but Legal Aid does. If you have any questions about this, please get in touch with us for further clarification.