Mediate UK welcomes extension of £500 voucher scheme

Voucher scheme – £500 towards your family mediation (2025 Update)

Mediate UK are pleased to announce that the Government have further extended the £500 voucher scheme until 2026. They have recently allocated a further £5.4 million to show their ongoing commitment to family mediation in order to resolve family disputes regarding children. So far thousands of families have benefited from the voucher scheme, that was launched in April 2021. This also ties in with new developments as the Government looks to fund mandatory mediation for separating couples.

“In a major shake-up to the family justice system, proposals will see mediation become mandatory in all suitable low-level family court cases excluding those which include allegations or a history of domestic violence. This will mean separating couples have to attempt to agree their child custody and financial arrangements through a qualified mediator with court action being a last resort.” – GOV.UK

How does the voucher scheme work?

The Family Mediation Voucher Scheme was launched in March 2021 to encourage parents or grandparents to resolve child arrangement disputes through mediation rather than going to court. The scheme provides a £500 contribution towards mediation costs for child related matters, helping families reach agreements in a less stressful and more cost-effective way, rather than suffer the time, expense and stress of going to court.

The Government, judiciary and courts understand that most disputes about the arrangements for children are best resolved between the parents themselves or through family mediation. An application to court should only be used as a last resort, or where there are specific issues that need a court’s authority to address – such as cases where a child is at significant risk of harm. 

Take a look at our blog, “Will it look bad if I refuse to go to mediation” for more information on how a court views family mediation before any child arrangements hearing commence.

Before you can apply to court, you will usually have had to at least consider family mediation, by means of a Mediation Information Assessment Meeting – often called a MIAM. There are 15 exemptions to a MIAM – but the majority of court applications will need to have attended a MIAM. The government voucher scheme puts £500 towards your joint family mediation sessions (it does not cover your MIAM fees) and Mediate UK are signed up to administer the scheme on your behalf.

£500 family mediation voucher highlights

• The £500 goes towards your joint mediation appointment(s)
• Vouchers are not means tested – available to anyone with parenting issues to resolve
• Can be claimed when discussing child arrangements, specific issues (such as going on a holiday) or grandparent access
• Any unused voucher balance can be carried over onto finances if yours is an all-issues case
• Mediate UK apply for the voucher on your behalf. You just need to confirm you wish us to apply.
• 90% of clients reach an agreement through family mediation
• Any agreement reached can be made legally binding
• Meetings can be held in person or online
• You don’t have to be on the same screen / in the same room as each other

Is the Family Mediation Voucher Scheme Working?

An analysis done in March 2023 – found that 69% of families using the vouchers successfully reached agreements on some or all issues. Families who spent more than the £500 voucher on additional mediation sessions had an even higher success rate of 76%, suggesting that extended mediation can be particularly effective.

The report also revealed that 51% of families only pursued mediation because the voucher was available, showing that the scheme plays a key role in encouraging out-of-court settlements.

The Family Mediation Voucher Scheme has been a positive step in promoting mediation, and ongoing evaluation will determine its full impact and potential improvements.

You can read more about the £500 voucher scheme in the Government’s initial press release HERE