header-logo header-logo

Testing times

30 May 2013 / Philip Henson
Issue: 7562 / Categories: Features , Employment
printer mail-detail

Philip Henson reviews the government consultation on fee remissions for the courts & tribunals

All fee charging courts and tribunals operate a system of remissions to ensure that individual applicants who are unable to afford fees are not denied access to their services. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) published a consultation, which closed this month, on a wide-ranging reform of the fee remission (waivers) system for the courts and tribunals.

It is proposed that the new system will apply across all fee charging business areas with the exception of the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber).

As fees are being introduced to the employment tribunals and the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) for the first time in autumn of this year, the subject of fee remissions may be a new concept to many employment law practitioners and HR professionals.

The proposals

The consultation proposes a new two-stage test based on the disposable capital and monthly income of the claimant. The applicant will have to pass both tests in order to be eligible for a fee remission.

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
back-to-top-scroll