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The government has extended the Family Mediation Voucher Scheme for a further 12 months after confirming an additional £7 million in funding, as new figures reveal demand for mediation support has more than doubled since the initiative was launched during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The scheme, introduced to ease pressure on the family courts, provides eligible separating couples with up to £500 towards the cost of professional family mediation. Justice Minister Baroness Levitt KC confirmed the latest extension, allowing the programme to continue into 2027.
Alongside the funding announcement, the government said it has expanded online support for separating families through a range of digital tools available on GOV.UK. These include a “Child Arrangement Planner” designed to help parents agree practical arrangements for children, and a “Get Help Finding a Child Arrangement Option” triage service intended to direct families towards the most appropriate form of dispute resolution.
The announcement coincided with the publication of data obtained through a Freedom of Information request by Russell-Cooke LLP, which showed substantial growth in the scheme’s use over the past five years.
According to the figures released by the Ministry of Justice, more than 60,000 couples have applied to the scheme since its launch, resulting in 57,335 vouchers being granted with a combined value of £28.7 million.
Applications have risen steadily year on year. In 2021-22, there were 7,591 applications and 7,086 vouchers granted. By 2025-26, this had increased to 15,720 applications, with 14,579 vouchers issued.
The Ministry of Justice said its analysis of the first 7,000 vouchers issued showed that more than two-thirds of participating families reached agreement without needing to proceed to court.
Lauren Hall said the increasing use of the scheme reflected both growing confidence in mediation and wider pressures affecting the family justice system.
She noted that mediation could provide a more flexible, private and less adversarial route to resolution, particularly at a time when family courts continue to experience significant backlogs. She also pointed to the introduction of no-fault divorce and recent changes to the Family Procedure Rules as factors encouraging greater use of non-court dispute resolution.
Amendments to the Family Procedure Rules introduced in April 2024 require separating couples to consider non-court dispute resolution options before commencing proceedings. The mediation voucher scheme forms part of a broader push by both the judiciary and the Ministry of Justice to encourage families to resolve disputes outside the court system wherever appropriate.
The continued expansion of mediation services comes amid sustained pressure on family courts, with rising private law applications and growing emphasis within the justice system on reducing conflict and improving outcomes for children and families.
