Fee Remission in Tribunals

Thanks to Claire Scott, professional support lawyer at Burness Paull LLP, for telling me about this HMCTS has made some changes to the fee remission system, removing much of the bureaucracy which made it difficult to claim fee remission. From 28 October 2015, the fees remission process is called “Help with Fees” and a new 'Help with Fees form', called the EX160, is available online. HMCTS now asks applicants to make a self-assessment of their eligibility for help with fees, and there is no longer a requirement for every applicant to submit paperwork (such as bank statements and payslips) to support their request for help with fees. HMCTS will check directly with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) whether an applicant is on the qualifying benefits, and will check whether an applicant's income makes them eligible for help with their fees. However, some applicants may still be asked to supply paperwork as part of their application process, and so applicants should continue keep records of their pay and benefits documents.