Court Fees Rise From 13 July 2026 for Enforcement and Recovery

Court Fees Rise From 13 July 2026 for Enforcement and Recovery

Court fees across England and Wales rose on 13 July 2026, raising the cost of issuing claims, enforcing judgments and dealing with probate. Around 170 fees increased by 2.6 per cent in line with 2024 to 2025 inflation, while 27 older fees rose by an average of 34 per cent. The changes were made by the Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026 and apply to proceedings issued on or after that date.

Which court fees are rising

The uplift has two parts. The larger group of about 170 fees went up by 2.6 per cent to reflect inflation for 2024 to 2025. A smaller group of 27 fees, where charges had not kept pace, rose by an average of 34 per cent, worth around £6.19 each. Four fees were reduced to match lower underlying costs. The probate application fee increased to £526, and a concurrent request for copies of probate documents now costs £2 rather than £16. The order, SI 2026/642, was amended by SI 2026/665 to confirm the commencement date.

Fees for enforcing a judgment

For creditors and their solicitors, the higher fees land across the main enforcement routes. The headline changes include:

• Sealing a writ of control, possession or delivery in the High Court, up from £80 to £82.
• An application for a third party debt order or a charging order, up from £135 to £139.
• An application for an attachment of earnings order, up from £135 to £139.
• An application for a judgment summons, up from £135 to £139.
• An order requiring a judgment debtor to attend court for questioning, up from £67 to £69.
• Issuing a warrant of control in the County Court, up from £94 to £96.

Registering a judgment for enforcement abroad also rose from £80 to £82. None of these individual rises is large, but they add up across a portfolio of debts.

Insolvency and land recovery charges

The order reaches beyond pure enforcement. A creditor’s bankruptcy petition rose from £343 to £352, and a petition for an administration order moved by the same amount. Recovery of land climbed from £545 to £559 in the High Court and from £404 to £415 in the County Court. A request for service of a document by a County Court bailiff edged up from £46 to £47. Each figure reflects the same inflation based approach applied across the Civil Proceedings Fees Order 2008.

When the new fees apply

The revised charges apply to any application or proceedings issued on or after 13 July 2026 and are not retrospective, so matters already underway are unaffected. The order also introduced an exemption from a family court fee for local authorities under Jade’s Law, which takes effect when the relevant provisions are commenced. Practitioners issuing new claims should update fee schedules and client cost estimates to reflect the current amounts.

Court fees and the cost of recovery

Higher court fees sharpen a question every creditor already asks: is enforcement worth the spend? There is little point paying to seal a writ or apply for a charging order against a debtor who has moved, closed a business or has nothing worth taking. Confirming where a debtor is and what they realistically own, before committing to the fee, protects the recovery budget. Tremark traces debtors and their assets for solicitors, insolvency practitioners and businesses, so enforcement is aimed where there is something to recover.

If you are weighing whether to enforce a judgment and want to trace a debtor before paying the higher fees, fill in the form below to get in touch with the Tremark team.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did the new court fees take effect?

The revised fees took effect on 13 July 2026 and apply to proceedings issued on or after that date.

Do the higher fees apply to cases already issued?

No. The increases are not retrospective, so a claim or enforcement step issued before 13 July 2026 keeps the fee that applied at the time.