MEDIATION VOUCHER SCHEME

Pax Mediation are authorised by the Family Mediation Council (FMC) to take part in the MOJ Voucher Scheme. This is a time-limited scheme, designed to support parties who may be able to resolve their family law disputes outside of court.

Under this scheme the government will contribute up to £500 per case/family to the mediation costs of a child arrangements case. The purpose of the scheme is to promote the benefits of mediation and divert matters where appropriate away from family courts. This payment is made directly to the mediation providers by the FMC which is administering the scheme on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

How does it work?

In your Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) the mediator will give you more information about the scheme; if it would apply to your circumstances and the next steps.

How do I know if I am eligible for a mediation voucher?

In your MIAM your FMCA mediator will assess the issues you wish to resolve to see if they meet the eligibility requirements for the voucher scheme. The case types below are eligible for a mediation voucher:

a dispute regarding a child
a dispute regarding financial matters where you are also involved in a dispute relating to a child.

Not all cases are eligible under the scheme. For example, the voucher is not currently available to those that only wish to resolve financial matters.

How will I receive the voucher?

After both parties have had their MIAMs if mediation is proceeding and you are eligible for the voucher we will send you both out more information about the scheme along with a consent form and questionnaire. Once you have both sent these back to us we will apply to the Family Mediation Council who are administering the scheme. They will process the application and let us know if a voucher has been allocated. You will not receive a physical voucher and the funding is paid directly to our service.

Vouchers are limited in number and will be offered to eligible parties until they are no longer available.

Will the voucher cover all my mediation costs?

This depends on the circumstances of your case, for example, whether the other party is eligible for Legal Aid and how many mediation sessions are required. The voucher is intended to be a contribution towards mediation sessions. If neither of you are eligible for Legal Aid then usually the voucher covers the cost of one mediation session and a contribution to another. The voucher does not cover the cost of any documentation that is produced. For more information about our charges please use this link.

How does the voucher work alongside Legal Aid?

If you are eligible for Legal Aid mediation is completely FREE for you and the Legal Aid Agency will pay for the MIAM for the other person too. They will also pay for your first mediation session together. If you wish to attend a second mediation session you could apply for the mediation voucher scheme to cover the cost of this session.