The Government has published its response to the consultation on proposals for a wide-ranging reform of the fee remissions system. The remission system ensures that access to justice is maintained for those individuals on lower incomes who have difficulty paying a fee to use court or tribunal services and who can therefore access court or tribunal services free of charge or at a reduced rate. The current fee remission system has three elements, each with different eligibility criteria. The response confirms that the principal change to be introduced will be a single remissions system in all courts and tribunals and the UK Supreme Court. The Government will also introduce a disposable capital (e.g. savings) test for assessing an applicant’s financial eligibility for a remission, but will not require applicants to provide evidence of their disposable capital when applying for a fee remission. The Government intends to implement the changes by Statutory Instrument by October 2013. During October the Judicial Reviews launched by UNISON and Fox and Partners calling for the scrapping of tribunals fees, are expected to be heard.
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