Upcoming changes to fee remission

I’ve just had an email from the Ministry of Justice, promising changes on fee remission from 30th June. I can’t find an announcement online, so I’m providing the text of the email below:

From 30 June, you will see a difference to the HM Courts & Tribunals Service fee remissions form and guidance. Having listened to the feedback from customers and stakeholders, these changes will simplify the application process for users. The main changes you should be aware of, for any fee remission applications from 30 June are:

  • You no longer need to provide original copies of documents. We will accept photocopies.
  • You don’t have to tell us the exact amount of disposable capital you have just the relevant threshold it falls into.
  • Bank statements can be printed copies from online banking systems.
  • DWP letters can now be dated within the last three months. Previously, a letter from DWP confirming receipt of benefits for benefits-related remissions (fee remission 1) had to be dated within the last month.
  • A clearer, simplified form is now at the front of the guidance, with references to guidance notes.
  • If a piece of information is missing we will endeavour to contact you rather than reject the claim.
  • The new form should be used from 30 June. From 14 July you should no longer submit applications using the old EX160 form.

We continue to review the remissions system to make it easier and quicker to move through the system. We welcome any feedback to help us further simplify the process. Contact either: EmploymentJurisdictionalSupportTeamInbox@hmcts.gsi.gov.uk for Employment Tribunals orCivil&FamilyBusinessSupport@hmcts.gsi.gov.uk for civil and family.

2 Replies to “Upcoming changes to fee remission”

  1. Bravo!

    Lord Elias ruled my appeal out of time due to hold ups in the fee remission process.

    It took 9 attemps to obtain a fee remission for my PI claim.

  2. Dear Sir

    Thank-you for your email below, I apologise for the delay in responding to you.

    Your letter explaining your circumstances and the attached supporting documents all appear to be sufficient in order to process your fee remission application. Could you please send in your claim form, ex160 and supporting documents to the CCMCC as soon as possible. Please mark it Private and Confidential and for my attention so that it may be dealt with promptly.

    I apologise for the delay and inconvenience caused with the multiple returns of your documents. The CCMCC are continually looking for ways to improve our service and will be looking to create a more robust service in relation to fee remission applications.

    If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.

    Yours Sincerely,

    xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
    Team Leader
    County Court Money Claims Centre
    0300 123 1372
    Subject: Fw: FAO the appeals manager

    Dear Sir/Madam

    It is with some concern that I write to as I have had no response to the attached.

    Please as a matter of urgency could you respond to the following e-mails.

    Yours Faithfully

    Douglas

    Subject: Fw: FAO the appeals manager

    Dear Sir/Madam

    Please could you advise if any progress has been made regarding the requests for clarifications below.

    Yours Sincerely

    Douglas

    Subject: FAO the appeals manager

    Dear Ms xxxxxxxx

    I request your assistance as per your letter dated 03/01/2014

    Please find attached a copy of the courts letter sent attached to my application.

    Unfortunately my documents have been refused now in excess of 8 times
    Each time I post them it costs me in the region of 8 euros I cannot afford this.

    I would expressly like it noted that my papers have been refused by the court since the 9th of July 2013

    As a result of this I would like to appeal the attached letter.

    I refer to the attached letter Point 1

    Please provide evidence dated within the last month confirming how much you are receiving and how often.

    The letter provided by the by the pension service (copy attached) is current and remains current until any changes by the pension service. Payment can be confirmed by cross referencing with my current bank statement (copy attached) the most recent item listed is my benefit. Please accept this evidence.

    Letter Point 2

    This point has already been raised in your letter ref 1164 (copy attached)
    and has not been raised since my letter

    Please see the attached letter to the court dated 12/11/13
    Please accept my previous explanation.

    Letter Point 3

    This will be addressed

    Letter point 4
    I have applied to the CSA for a letter to list my dependant children
    I do hope to receive this documentation within the next few days.
    In the meantime in order to proceed please accept the letter listing my children as attached to the last application.

    Yours Faithfully

    Douglas

    Subject: RE: FAO the appeals manager

    Dear Sir

    We are able to process the forms in the format that you have completed them as they show the addresses for each defendant and also the addresses for service.

    Kind Regards
    xxxxxxxxxxxx

    County Court Money Claims Centre (CCMCC)
    Customer Enquiries Team

    Address: County Court Money Claims Centre, PO Box 527, Salford, M5 0BY
    DX: 702634 Salford 5

    Tel: 0300 123 1372
    Fax: 0161 743 4023

    Subject: Re: FAO the appeals manager

    Dear Ms xxxxxxxxxx

    I thank you for your helpful e-mail and apologies and understand the difficulties you may be experiencing with my claim forms and I in turn apologise.

    If you are in a position to do so, please could you review the attached forms and confirm they meet the requirements of adding PBS to the claim forms as you have described.

    Kind Regards

    Douglas

    Subject: RE: FAO the appeals manager

    Dear Sir

    Please accept our apologies for not responding to your emails sooner, we were waiting for some information from our appeals manager.

    Regarding your French bank account documents, Mr Pollitt, our appeals manager, has agreed that these are clear and understandable and so can be used.
    I am not sure what information you have been given from our call centre, but having searched our data base I can not find a claim under your name. It is my understanding that your fee remission application has not yet been approved.

    Regarding adding PBS to your claim form, if there are more than one defendant in this case each must be named on the front page of the claim form, along with their addresses. It would be very helpful for us if you could number them Defendant 1, Defendant 2 and so on.
    We require a copy of the claim form and accompanying documents for the court file and also one copy to serve on each defendant. For each of the defendant copies you can write the service address, which may be their solicitors, in the box at the bottom of the form.

    I hope I have answered your questions satisfactorily.

    Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any further assistance.

    Kind Regards
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    County Court Money Claims Centre (CCMCC)
    Customer Enquiries Team

    Address: County Court Money Claims Centre, PO Box 527, Salford, M5 0BY
    DX: 702634 Salford 5

    Tel: 0300 123 1372
    Fax: 0161 743 4023

    To: Ccmcc Customer Enquiries
    Subject: FAO the appeals manager

    Dear Sir/Madam

    I refer to the attached letter 1759 & N1

    I believe from speaking to the help line that upon appeal an application for a fee remission has been approved .

    However from that conversation, I understand I have not satisfied the instruction to “clearly list” Peninsular Business Services (PBS) as a defendant on the N1 so the papers have been returned.

    In an attempt to comply with the instruction and to avoid confusion with the representative of Exsto who are Just Law, I listed PBS on page 2 of the N1 document. (as attached)

    Adding PBS to page 1 will create confusion as to who represents who, could you please advise of a clearer alternative?

    The documents are still in the post to me, as I would like to return them as soon as they arrive – a quick answer by e-mail would be very much appreciated.

    Yours Faithfully

    Douglas

    Subject: FAO the appeals manager

    Dear Sir/Madam

    I refer to the attached letters (ref 1759 & 1164)

    I have conformed to the courts requests where possible.

    However as a matter of urgency I wish to appeal the decision that my request is refused unless I provide “certified translated copies” of my French bank statements.

    I give the following reasons

    1) The balance and the transactions of the French account are clear and understandable without translation.
    2) I do not have the funding available to pay for certified copies.
    3) I have made enquiries with the French bank and as of yet it does not offer statements in English or a translation service.
    4) The French account is an account of convenience
    5) The main balance of the French account is from transfers from the Lloyds account dated 10th Sept & 19th of Nov
    6) Other credits to the account listed 6th & 8th of Nov for 22 euros & 19.76 euros are refunds for medical treatment relating to my industrial accident.
    7) For reasons 4, 5 & 6 the French bank statements are irrelevant and show no evidence of income.
    8) Once this single issue is resolved my claim I hope can proceed.

    Please reply be e-mail only

    Kind Regards

    Douglas

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