Statistics

Family Mediation Voucher Scheme: the results so far

The Family Mediation Voucher Scheme is the government’s main financial support for family mediation, and one of the clearest success stories in recent family policy. This page sets out what it provides, who can use it, how a mediator claims it, and what the official data shows about its impact. For a shorter overview of eligibility and how to claim, see our guide to the voucher scheme.

The idea behind the scheme is simple. A modest, targeted payment towards mediation about children keeps large numbers of families out of a court system that is under growing pressure. With private law case starts up 16% in early 2026 and the open caseload at 40,971, that diversion matters more than ever.

This page is part of our family mediation statistics hub, where every figure is dated and sourced.

What the scheme provides

The scheme contributes up to £500 towards the cost of joint mediation sessions in cases that involve arrangements for children. The money is paid to the mediator, not to you, and it is not means tested, so it sits separately from legal aid. Because it is not income assessed, many families who earn too much to qualify for legal aid can still use it, which is a large part of why take-up has been high.

The £500 is a contribution rather than a cap on what mediation can cost. For many families it covers most or all of a couple of joint sessions, which is often enough to reach agreement. Where more sessions are needed, you pay the balance, though a case that resolves in three to five sessions still costs far less than a contested hearing.

One point that reassures many parents is that the voucher is theirs to use without having to prove hardship. There is no form to fill in showing your income, no bank statements to submit, and no wait for a means assessment. If the case is about children and a mediator confirms it is suitable, the £500 is available. That simplicity is deliberate, because the whole aim is to lower the barrier to trying mediation rather than to add another test to pass.

The results so far

The Ministry of Justice analysed the first year of the scheme, covering around 7,214 families. The outcomes have been strong enough to justify repeated extensions of the funding.

Those two headline figures, 77% reaching agreement and 69% avoiding court, are the reason the scheme keeps being renewed. Each extension has added funding for tens of thousands more vouchers, and the outcomes have stayed consistent as the numbers have grown. For what these agreement rates mean in practice, see our page on mediation success rates.

Why the outcomes are so strong

A 77% agreement rate does not happen by accident. Several features of the scheme push outcomes in the right direction. The money is targeted at cases about children, where parents usually have a strong shared interest in reaching a workable arrangement. The requirement to attend a MIAM first means every case is screened for suitability and safety before it starts, so the cases that go ahead are the ones most likely to settle. And because an accredited mediator runs the process, the sessions are structured and focused rather than left to drift.

The design also removes one of the biggest barriers to trying mediation at all, which is cost. By covering up to £500 without a means test, the scheme reaches families who might otherwise have gone straight to court or done nothing. Getting those families to the table is half the battle, and the outcomes suggest that once there, most reach at least a partial agreement.

Who is eligible

Eligibility is based on the type of dispute, not on income. The scheme is aimed at families sorting out arrangements for children, and it can also help where financial matters are being resolved alongside child arrangements.

How the mediator claims it

You do not apply for the voucher yourself, which is one of the things that makes it easy to use. The process runs through your mediator.

Uptake and impact

Since launch in March 2021 the scheme has been extended repeatedly, and GOV.UK reported in May 2026 that it has supported more than 54,000 parents. Demand has stayed strong. The impact is easiest to see when set against the court figures. Every family that settles in mediation is one fewer contested case joining a caseload that reached 40,971 open private law cases at the end of March 2026.

The scheme has also proved good value. A £500 contribution that keeps a family out of a process which can run for the better part of a year, and cost far more in court fees and legal costs, is a strong return. That value case is why the funding was renewed again for 2026 to 2027 rather than being wound down.

The impact reaches beyond the individual family. Because the voucher is targeted at cases about children, it tends to divert exactly the kind of dispute that would otherwise add to the private law caseload, where starts rose 16% in early 2026. Diverting those cases early, before positions harden and before a court application is filed, is more effective than trying to settle them once they are already in the system. In that sense the timing of the help, right at the start, is as important as the amount.

A short history of the extensions

The scheme was never meant to be permanent when it launched in March 2021, but the results kept earning it another year. Each round of funding has topped up the pot for tens of thousands more vouchers, and the government has widened the window several times rather than let it lapse. That pattern of repeated renewal is unusual for a pilot, and it reflects how well the outcomes have held up as the numbers grew.

For families, the practical takeaway is that the voucher is a settled, reliable form of help rather than a short-term offer that might vanish before you can use it. It has been available continuously since 2021, and the current funding runs through the 2026 to 2027 year.

How the voucher compares with going to court

The clearest way to see the value of a £500 contribution is to compare it with the alternative. A contested private law case can run for the better part of a year and cost far more in court fees and, if solicitors are involved, legal fees. The voucher is designed to head that off before it starts.

Seen that way, a £500 voucher that resolves a dispute about children is not a cost at all but a saving, both for the family and for a court system carrying 40,971 open private law cases. It is why the scheme is widely regarded as good value, and why it keeps being renewed. For how often it produces agreement, see our page on mediation success rates.

There is a wider public value too. Every family diverted from a contested hearing frees court time for the cases that genuinely need a judge, such as those involving safeguarding concerns or entrenched conflict. In a system where the open caseload rose 11% in a single year, that breathing space matters. A relatively small, targeted payment that keeps the more straightforward disputes out of court helps the whole system work better, not just the individual families who use it.

What this means if you are separating

If your separation involves children, the voucher is one of the simplest ways to bring the cost of resolving things down. It is not means tested, it is claimed for you by the mediator, and the outcomes show most families who use it reach agreement. Because it has been renewed repeatedly, you can rely on it being there when you need it, at least through the current funding year.

The first move is a MIAM, where eligibility is confirmed and the mediator can explain how the voucher, and any legal aid, would apply to your case. From there, our guides to child arrangements through mediation and parenting plans set out what the sessions themselves involve.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. GOV.UK, Family Mediation Voucher Scheme, gov.uk. Accessed 9 July 2026.
2. Ministry of Justice, Family Mediation Voucher Scheme analysis, gov.uk. Accessed 9 July 2026.
3. Family Mediation Council, Mediation voucher scheme, familymediationcouncil.org.uk. Accessed 9 July 2026.