Accredited official statistics

Family Court Statistics Quarterly: April to June 2025

Published 25 September 2025

© Crown copyright 2025

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1. Main Points
Increase in the number of cases started in the Family Courts 65,709 new cases started in Family courts in April to June 2025, up 2% on the same quarter in 2024. This was due to increases in public law (10%), financial remedy (10%) and private law (6%) cases. However, there was a decrease in adoption (10%) and matrimonial (4%) case starts.
On average, care proceedings took less time than in the same quarter last year with more disposals within 26 weeks. The average time for a care or supervision case to reach disposal was 38 weeks in April to June 2025, down 3 weeks compared to the same quarter in 2024. 36% of cases were disposed of within 26 weeks - up 3 percentage points compared to the same period in 2024.
Private law (Children Act) cases are quicker to reach a final order. The average time for Children Act private law cases to reach the final order was 39 weeks during April to June 2025, down nearly 4 weeks compared to the same period in 2024.
There were 26,412 divorce applications under the no fault divorce legislation this quarter Between April to June 2025 there were 26,412 applications made, down 3% compared to the same period in 2024, including those for dissolution of civil partnerships.
Increase in domestic violence remedy applications, with a decrease in the orders made. The number of domestic violence remedy order applications was 8,022, an increase of 4% compared to the equivalent quarter in 2024, while the number of orders made decreased by 8% over the same period.
Decrease in the number of both adoption applications and orders. In April to June 2025 there were 903 adoption applications, down 17% on the equivalent quarter in 2024. The number of adoption orders issued decreased by 13% to 969.
There were 6,316 orders relating to deprivation of liberty under the Mental Capacity Act this quarter There were 2,141 applications under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 relating to deprivation of liberty in April to June 2025.
Decrease in time taken for probate grants issued Probate grants took approximately 5 weeks (mean average) to be issued after the application was submitted during April to June 2025, down around 3 weeks on the equivalent quarter in 2024. This is while the number of probate applications was 62,943, an increase of 3% over the same period.

This publication presents statistics on activity in the family courts of England and Wales and provides figures for the latest quarter (April to June 2025). For further information and technical details please refer to the accompanying Guide to Family Court Statistics.

For feedback related to the content of this publication, please let us know at familycourt.statistics@justice.gov.uk

2. New Data

A new table (Table 2b - “Public Law open caseload”) has been introduced this quarter, which provides the open caseload for public law cases and the age of these cases.

3. Data Quality Issues

Data for divorce hearings for Q2 (Apr-Jun) 2022 onwards (Tables 11 and 13) cannot be maintained due to the capability of collecting the hearings data for new divorce law not yet being available and the limited reasons for contesting a divorce case within the new law.

Following Reform and transition to a new data platform, additional work is needed to reinstate timeliness figures for financial remedy cases in Tables 10. This series will be reinstated as soon as possible.

The forced marriage and FGM data used in this publication (Table 16 and 17) are extracted from HMCTS’ management information system One Performance Truth. Recent data validation has confirmed that this system does not include all applications/orders made. We have been exploring what can be done to improve the user value for these metrics, and these tables will be modified accordingly from next quarter. Please treat with caution.

4. Statistician’s comment

During April to June 2025, an increased number of cases started for public law, private law and financial remedies compared to the equivalent period last year. In contrast there were fewer case starts for adoption and matrimonial matters.

Data on public law cases shows that care proceedings showed more disposals within the 26 week timeframe, and private law cases were also disposed of quicker compared to the same period last year. New data on open caseload for public law shows a slight decrease compared to the same period last year.

Time taken for probate grants to be issued improved compared to the equivalent quarter in 2024.

5. Overview of the Family Justice System

Increase in the number of cases started in Family Courts and decrease in the number of cases disposed

In April to June 2025, 65,709 new cases started in family courts, up 2% on the equivalent quarter in 2024. This was due to increases in public law (10%), financial remedy (10%) and private law (6%) cases. However, there was a decrease in adoption (10%) and matrimonial (4%) case starts.

There were 63,207 case disposals in April to June 2025, down 4% on the equivalent quarter of 2024. This was due to decreases in most case types: private law (22%), adoption (10%), matrimonial (3%) and public law (2%) cases. However, there was an increase in financial remedy (12%) and domestic violence (8%) case disposals. (Table 1)

Figure 1: Cases started and disposed, by case type, January to March 2014 to April to June 2025 (Source: Table 1)

In April to June 2025, over 40% of new cases within family courts related to matrimonial matters, down from the equivalent quarter of 2024.

Timeliness by Case Type

The mean average time for divorce cases (under the no fault divorce law) to reach first disposal was up 3 weeks compared to the equivalent quarter in 2024. Private law cases took less time, with the mean average time to first disposal in April to June 2025 taking 26 weeks, down around 4 weeks compared to the same period in 2024. (Tables 10, 10b)

Public and private law cases – number of parties

The vast majority of private law cases involve one applicant and one respondent only (Table 6). However, for public law cases whilst nearly all cases have only one applicant, 81% involve two or more respondents.

HMCTS monthly management information

The statistics in this publication focus on the period between April to June 2025; however, monthly management information (MI) has been published by HMCTS that covers up to July 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/hmcts-management-information-july-2025. This MI is subject to the data quality issues associated with extracting data from large live administrative case management systems. Late reporting of cases and regular updating of case details, which can lead to the figures being updated to manage the case - more recent figures may therefore be subject to larger revisions and should be treated with greater care and considered provisional.

6. Children Act - Public Law

Increase in the number of public law case starts and decrease in the number of cases disposed

There were 4,213 public law cases starting in April to June 2025, up 10% compared to the equivalent quarter in 2024. Cases disposed were down 2% to 3,899 (Table 2).

Average time for care proceedings decreased

The average time for a care and supervision case to be disposed was 38 weeks in April to June 2025, down 3 weeks from the same quarter in 2024. 36% of these care proceedings were disposed of within the 26-week limit introduced in the Children and Families Act 2014, up 3 percentage points from the same period last year (Table 8).

There were 7,123 individual children involved in new public law applications in April to June 2025, up 9% on the same quarter in the previous year, while the number of orders applied for increased by 10%. In April to June 2025, public law care applications made up 65% of public law orders applied for (3,180) (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Public law applications and orders made by order type, April to June 2025 (Source: Table 3-4)

Open caseload

There were 10,192 total open public law cases at the end of June 2025. This is down from 10,338 at the end of June 2024, a fall of 1%. 66% (6,727) of the open caseload at the end of June 2025 had been open for less than 26 weeks, whereas 198 cases (2%) had been open for 90 weeks or longer.

7. Children Act - Private Law

Increase in the number of private law case starts and decrease in the number of cases disposed

The number of private law cases[footnote 1] started increased by 6% (to 13,309) in April to June 2025 compared to the equivalent quarter in 2024. The number of applications made increased by 7% over the same period.

The number of private law cases disposed of during April to June 2025 was down 22% from a series record high in the equivalent quarter in 2024.(Table 2).

There were 13,893 new private law applications made in April to June 2025, up 7% on the equivalent quarter in 2024, with 20,453 individual children involved in these applications.

The number of private law disposals in April to June 2025 was 28,453, down 9% on the equivalent quarter in 2024.

Timeliness of Private law cases

In April to June 2025, it took on average 39 weeks for private law cases to reach a final order, i.e. case closure, down 3 weeks from the same period in 2024 (Table 9).

Figure 3: Private law timeliness from case start date to final order in the family court, January to March 2014 to April to June 2025 (Source: Table 9)

Cases with legal representation take longer on average

In general, cases where either both parties or the respondent only had legal representation took longer to be disposed of than those cases where only the applicant was represented or where both parties were without legal representation (Table 10).

Legal representation in private law cases

The implementation of the LASPO Act led to a shift in the proportion of private law cases involving legal representation[footnote 2],[footnote 3]. More recently, the proportions have been relatively stable - in April to June 2025, the proportion of disposals where neither the applicant nor respondent had legal representation was 40%, similar to April to June 2024.

Correspondingly, the proportion of cases where both parties had legal representation was 17% in April to June 2025, down 2 percentage points compared to the same period in 2024 (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Proportion of private law disposals by type of legal representation of the parties, January to March 2014 to April to June 2025 (Source: Table 10)

The pattern of legal representation is also demonstrated in private law cases with at least one hearing where the proportion of parties with legal representation stood at 28% in April to June 2025, down from 34% in April to June 2024.

The proportion of parties with legal representation in cases with at least one hearing varies by case type and range from around 84% for public law cases to 3% for adoption cases, with figures subject to change as new cases progress (Table 11).

9. Divorce

There were 26,412 divorce applications made between April to June 2025 under the ‘no fault divorce’ (NFD) legislation

Between April to June 2025 there were 26,412 applications made (Table 12b). This was a decrease of 3% from the same quarter in 2024. There were 28,164 final orders granted in April to June 2025 down 3% compared to the same quarter in 2024 (across both no fault divorce and prior legislation) (Table 12).

Increase in the average time for all divorce proceedings

In April to June 2025, the mean average time from application to conditional order was 41 weeks, up 1 week from the same quarter of 2024 (Table 12).

There were 26,412 divorce applications made during April to June 2025 (72% from sole applicants, 28% from joint applicants) (Table 12b), down by 3% from the same quarter in 2024. There were 28,164 final orders granted in April to June 2025, down 3% compared to the same quarter in 2024 (across both no fault divorce and prior legislation) (Table 12).

Timeliness of divorce cases

The mean average time from the date of application to conditional order was 41 weeks, up 1 week from the same period in 2024. The mean average time from application to final order was 69 weeks, up 6 weeks from the equivalent quarter in 2024.

The mean timeliness figures can be inflated when historical cases reach decree nisi/conditional order or decree absolute/final order. These historical cases have less effect on the median timeliness, which may act as a better indicator for the length of current divorce proceedings. In April to June 2025, the median time to conditional order was 30 weeks and 43 weeks to final order.

Please note that, due to the mandatory waiting period between applying for divorce and applying for the conditional order (CO), this means that any NFD cases started would have had to have waited at least 20 weeks before getting to the CO stage. For cases applied for under the old law, our timeliness measure will represent a dwindling number of cases and reflect the tail end of cases applied for some time ago, and so this measure will be relatively high and will increase over time (and represent fewer cases) until all cases applied for under the old law are dealt with.

Sole and Joint divorce cases

For sole divorce cases, there were 19,123 applications made during April to June 2025 (72% of the total, down 3 percentage points from the same period of 2024). The average time to conditional order for April to June 2025 for these cases was 39 weeks, and 57 weeks from application to final order.

For joint divorce cases, there were 7,289 applications made during April to June 2025 (28% of the total, up 3 percentage points from the same period of 2024). The average time to conditional order for April to June 2025 for these cases was 33 weeks, and 49 weeks from application to final order.

Figure 5: Divorce applications made between Q2 2022 to Q2 2025, by applicant type (Source: Table 12b)

10. Financial Remedy

Increase seen in financial remedy applications and disposals events

In April to June 2025, the number of financial remedy applications was up 10% and the number of disposal events was up 11% compared to the same period in 2024 (Table 14).

There were 12,275 financial remedy applications made in April to June 2025, up 10% from the same period in 2024, while there were 12,604 financial remedy disposals events, up 11% compared with a year earlier. During the latest quarter, 76% of applications were uncontested and 24% were contested.

Figure 6: Applications for financial remedy orders, January to March 2014 to April to June 2025 (Source: Table 14)

11. Domestic Violence Remedy Orders

Increase in the number of domestic violence remedy applications and decrease in the number of orders made.

In April to June 2025, there was a 4% increase in applications made compared to the equivalent quarter in 2024. The number of orders made decreased by 8% over the same period. The overall picture highlights a longer-term increase in the number of applications, with the number of applications in the latest quarter almost double those made since the series began in 2011 (Table 15).

In April to June 2025, there were 8,022 domestic violence remedy applications, (up by 4% on the same quarter in 2024), requesting a total of 9,260 orders (multiple orders can be applied for in a single application). Most of the orders applied for were non-molestation orders (83%) compared to occupation orders (17%); these proportions have remained relatively consistent in recent years. Applications for non-molestation and occupation orders in April to June 2025 were both up, by 4% and 9% respectively, compared to the same period in 2024.

There were 8,858 domestic violence orders made in April to June 2025, down 8% from the same period last year. 93% were non-molestation orders and 7% were occupation orders, with non-molestation orders down by 8% and occupation orders down by 9% compared to the equivalent quarter in 2024.

Figure 7: Applications for domestic violence remedy orders, January to March 2014 to April to June 2025 (Source: Table 15)

12. Forced Marriage Protection Orders and Female Genital Mutilation Protection Orders

Long term upward trend in the number of forced marriage protection orders and female genital mutilation protection orders (Table 16 and 17)

The number of applications and orders made for forced marriage protection orders (FMPOs) is very small. Consequently, numbers fluctuate each quarter but overall, there has broadly been a long-term upward trend from their introduction in November 2008 until the end of 2019 with a less pronounced increase thereafter.

In April to June 2025, there were 64 applications made, down from 85 applications made in the equivalent quarter in 2024. The proportion of applications accounted for by those aged 17 and under was 67% in April to June 2025. Over the same period, there were 116 orders made, similar to the same period from the previous year.

Historically the number of orders made outweigh the number of applications. Often there are multiple orders granted per case, where one application covers more than one person, and an order is granted for each person covered in the application. Extensions and increased provision of previous orders can also be granted as new orders, without the need for a new application to be submitted.

An increase in the number of orders does not necessarily represent an increase in the prevalence of forced marriage, but potentially it relates to a greater awareness of forced marriage being a crime and the support available. Particularly during 2019 when the government held events with relevant groups (local authorities, police, charities etc.), designed specifically to raise awareness of FMPOs and how they can be used to protect those at risk. In 2020, health education became compulsory across all state-funded schools in England, where Relationship Education is compulsory in primary schools and Relationship and Sex Education (RES) is compulsory in secondary schools to spread awareness of forced marriages.

Figure 8: Applications and orders made for Forced Marriage Protection Orders, January to March 2014 to April to June 2025 (Source: Table 16)

As with FMPOs, the number of applications and orders made for female genital mutilation protection orders (FGMPOs) is very small, with only 19 applications and 38 orders made respectively in April to June 2025 (Table 17). In total, there have been 689 applications and 968 orders made up to end of June 2025, since their introduction in July 2015.

In using data from this section, please remain mindful of the caveats outlined in the Data Quality Issues section and apply some caution.

13. Adoptions

Decrease in the number of adoption applications and orders, consistent with the long-term trend showing a fall in adoptions

During April to June 2025, there were 903 adoption applications made, down 17% from the equivalent quarter in 2024. Over the same period, the number of adoption orders issued also decreased by 13% to 969 (Tables 18 and 19).

There were 1,898 total disposals in April to June 2025, a decrease of 10% compared to the equivalent quarter in 2024.

The chart below shows the trend of adoption orders by the type of adopter. This shows that during April to June 2025, 51% of all adoption orders were issued to mixed-sex couples, 22% to sole applicants, 20% to same-sex couples and 5% to step-parents.

Figure 9: Adoption orders issued, by adopter, January to March 2014 to April to June 2025 (Source: Table 19)

14. Mental Capacity Act - Court of Protection

There are two figures related to deprivation of liberty. The first are those made under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 which cover people over 18 and are made by the Court of Protection, and the second refers to the ability of the High Court to make deprivation of liberty orders for people under 18. The figures in this summary refer to the former.

There were 2,141 applications relating to deprivation of liberty under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 made in the most recent quarter. Furthermore, the number of orders made for deprivation of liberty was 6,316.

Court of Protection figures under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (Table 20 and 21) have been reintroduced in this publication, following the transition to a new data system in July 2024. However, due to improved recording practices and several changes to the categorisations published, it is not possible to make robust comparisons to data prior to this time.

In April to June 2025, there were 9,605 applications made under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Of those, 34% related to applications for appointment of a property and affairs deputy (Table 20).

In comparison, there were 15,087 orders made under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Of those, 42% related to orders for Deprivation of Liberty (Table 21).

Deprivation of Liberty applications made under the Mental Capacity Act

There were 2,141 applications relating to deprivation of liberty under the Mental Capacity Act in April to June 2025. This is 22% of the applications made under the Mental Capacity Act in the quarter.

Deprivation of Liberty applications made under the High Court

There are also deprivation of liberty applications made to the High Court, which has the power to make deprivation of liberty orders for children under the age of 18. There were 357 applications during April to June 2025, up 19% compared to the same period in 2024 for this purpose, handling the same number of children. Almost all of these children were teenagers; 56% aged between 13 and 15 and 34% aged between 16 and 18 years (Table 22).

In April to June 2025, 296 orders were issued (up 2%), of which, 78 have had a final order made. 73% of the orders which were finalised between April to June 2025 lasted less than 3 months, while 4% lasted more than 12 months.

These are different from the deprivation of liberty applications and orders made under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 which relate to people over the age of 18. This means that the changes that affected data quality for deprivation of liberty applications made under the Mental Capacity Act do not affect the applications here.

15. Mental Capacity Act - Office of the Public Guardian

A decreasing trend in Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) following the peak mid-2024

In April to June 2025, there were 292,608 LPAs registered, down 23% compared to the equivalent quarter in 2024 (Table 23).

In total there were 293,719 Powers of Attorney (POAs) registered in April to June 2025, down 23% from the same quarter in 2024 (Table 23). In April to June 2025, 56% of POAs registered were from female donors whilst 42% were from male donors and 47% were over 75 years old. Lasting Power of Attorney (LPAs) made up almost all (99.6%) of POAs registered in April to June 2025, with Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs) making up the other share. There were 1,111 EPAs registered in April to June 2025, down 20% on the equivalent quarter in 2024.

The sharp increase in LPAs seen during 2015 and 2016 was largely due to increased publicity and the new online forms introduced in July 2015 making it simpler and faster to apply. The more recent increase in LPAs is part of the trend seen of more applications being made over time as awareness of LPAs has increased and also in response to the pandemic, leading to a peak in mid-2024. LPAs have decreased quarter on quarter since then.

Figure 11: Powers of Attorney registered, January to March 2014 to April to June 2025 (Source: Table 22)

16. Probate Service

Probate grants issued more quickly than other grants of representation

Probate grants took approximately 5 weeks to be issued after the application was submitted during April to June 2025, down around 3 weeks from the equivalent quarter in 2024. Letters of administration with a will and without a will took around 19 and 8 weeks respectively (Table 25).

Similar levels in the proportion of digital applications for probate grants with an increase in the proportion of probate grants issued made digitally

In April to June 2025, there were 62,943 applications for probate grants. 60,620 probate grants were issued in the same period. 92% of both applications and 93% of these grants issued were made digitally, compared to 92% of each in the same quarter in 2024 (Table 24).

There were 79,299 applications made for grants of representation in April to June 2025. 62,943 (79%) of these were for probate grants, of which 92% were made digitally (Table 24).

Probate grants also make up the majority (83%) of all grants issued. In April to June 2025, 57% of the grants issued were applied for by legal professionals and 43% were personal applications (Table 24). For the 60,620 probate grants issued in the same period, 93% were issued digitally.

Timeliness of probate grants

The mean average time from application submission to grant issue for probate grants was 5 weeks (median average 2 weeks) overall. The mean time between application submission and grant being issued remains the lowest it’s been since the start of the series. Whilst the mean average time for the majority of grants (that is digital probate grants for applications not stopped which formed 72% of total probate grants issued) took approximately 2 weeks from application submission to grant issue and 1 week from document receipt to grant issue.

Timeliness of grants issued can be affected if the case has been ‘stopped’ for any reason (this can occur when there’s a dispute about either who can apply for probate or where there are issues with a will or proposed will, or if an error is identified and a request for further information made). Probate grants that were stopped during April to June 2025 took 14 weeks on average to be issued, compared to 2 weeks for those that were not stopped.

Time taken from document receipt (i.e. when payment has been made and the application and all accompanying documents are ready for examination) to grant issue, is around 2 weeks quicker than the average time from application submission for probate grants.

Averages for letters of administration with a will and without a will were 19 and 8 weeks respectively for April to June 2025, though these formed a smaller proportion of all grants issued, 3% and 14% respectively (Figure 12).

Figure 12: Average (mean) time for grants of representation issued from application submission by the Probate Service, July to September 2019 to April to June 2025 (Source: Table 25)

Open Caseload

There were 39,104 total open probate cases at the end of June 2025. This is down from 61,992 at the end of June 2024, a fall of 37%. This is due to the recovery plan in probate, which has been in place since August 2023 and has been focused on upskilling staff to tackle the open caseload. The majority of the open caseload is for probate grants (63%), compared to letters of administration (28%) and letters of administration with a will annexed (9%). Open cases for probate only decreased from 40,585 in June 2024 to 24,632, down by 39%.

82% (32,133) of the open caseload at the end of March 2025 had been open for less than six months.

17. Further information

The data presented in this publication are from live administrative databases. Therefore, previously published data is liable to be updated in the latest bulletin, following any further data cleaning or the incorporation of additional cases not available in the extracts used to produce previous bulletins.

Accompanying files

As well as this bulletin, the following products are published as part of this release:

Accredited official statistics status

Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. These accredited official statistics were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation in January 2019. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics and should be labelled ‘accredited official statistics’.

It is the Ministry of Justice’s responsibility to maintain compliance with the standards expected for accredited official statistics. If we become concerned about whether these statistics are still meeting the appropriate standards, we will discuss any concerns with the Authority promptly. Accredited official statistics status can be removed at any point when the highest standards are not maintained, and reinstated when standards are restored.

Contact

Press enquiries should be directed to the Ministry of Justice press office:

Tel: 0300 790 0711 Email: newsdesk@justice.gsi.gov.uk

Other enquiries about these statistics should be directed to the Courts and People division of the Ministry of Justice:

Rita Kumi-Ampofo, Head of Access to Justice Data and Statistics, using the following email address familycourt.statistics@justice.gov.uk

Next update: 18 December 2025

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/family-court-statistics-quarterly

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Produced by the Ministry of Justice

Alternative formats are available on request from ESD@justice.gov.uk

  1. The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) also publishes (England only) data on the number of private law cases. A comparison of Cafcass and MoJ data and further information can be found in the accompanying guide. ↩

  2. Please see the accompanying guide for further details. ↩

  3. Removal of Legal Aid was a result of the Legal Aid, Sentencing & Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO). ↩

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