Date updated: Friday 19th September 2025
Significant changes are on the horizon for family courts in England, as it has emerged that a number of financial remedies hearings may be rescheduled or cancelled due to an insufficient allocation of sitting days for the 2025/26 financial year.
Under a concordat agreed between the Lord Chancellor and the Lady Chief Justice, only 13% of family court sitting days were allocated to the London Financial Remedies Court. This has proven inadequate, prompting the President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, to announce an action plan to “recalibrate” listings for the remainder of the year. While the plan aims to manage resources more effectively, it is expected to cause some difficulties for families and legal professionals alike.
Key changes include:
- Short hearings may be moved to a different day or court.
- Longer hearings will be double-listed, meaning two cases may be scheduled for the same time slot. The court will confirm with the primary case two weeks in advance whether it will proceed. If so, the secondary case will be rescheduled within three months, although this timeframe is not guaranteed.
- Parties in the back-up trial will be notified at least three working days before the scheduled start date, but courts will not be liable for any costs incurred in preparing for a postponed hearing.
Family lawyers have expressed concern over the impact of these changes warning that clients may face wasted costs and logistical challenges. The issues underline the importance of supporting clients to resolve matters without being required to resort to court proceedings. Stone King’s family law team are renowned for their expertise in non-court dispute resolution, to include mediation, collaboration and the use of arbitration. Their focus is on supporting clients at a hugely challenging time to find resolution to issues arising on separation, thereby avoiding the stress, uncertainty and cost of a court process.
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