The government has announced an extension to its Family Mediation Voucher Scheme, which gives separating couples a payment of up to £500 to cover the cost of mediation.
Under the scheme, which will now run until March 2026, families can claim for help towards mediation services, which can help couples at war to sort out financial and custody arrangements. A trained mediator oversees the process and works with the separating couple to find the best solution.
Couples who successfully complete mediation will be able to make these post-split arrangements without needing to go to court, which can be a lengthy and expensive process.
The vouchers are part of the government’s wider Pathfinder scheme, which aims to cut family court backlogs caused by Covid-19 and spare people the trauma of going to court. It’s described as a “less adversarial approach”, which could help lead to less conflict during a separation.
The Pathfinder scheme also offers better collaboration between agencies such as the police and social services, with the aim of sharing information early in domestic violence cases.
According to the government’s figures, since the scheme launched in April 2021, it has been used by 37,700 families, with 70% able to reach full or partial agreements by using mediation. Since then, private law applications have dropped from 55,711 in 2020 to 50,807 in 2023.
The areas where the Pathfinder pilot was run, the average case length has been cut significantly, from 29 weeks to 18 weeks in North Wales, and 38 weeks to 27 weeks in Dorset. The number of open cases has also dropped; from 478 to 202 in North Wales, and 511 to 246 in Dorset.
Who is eligible?
According to the gov.uk website, the Family Mediation Voucher Scheme is open to individuals with a case that involves:
- a dispute/application regarding a child
- a dispute/application regarding family financial matters where you are also involved in a dispute/application relating to a child
In order to check eligibility, you’ll need to attend a Mediation Information Assessment Meeting (MIAM), although there are exemptions in cases such as those involving domestic abuse. At the MIAM, the mediator will speak to you and your ex-partner, either alone or separately, and decide whether mediation will work for you.
If the mediator thinks they can take on your case, they will apply for the voucher on your behalf, which will cover up to £500 of the cost of mediation sessions. The couple would then have to cover any costs over this amount.