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Magistrates’ court fine payments

The magistrates' court deals with criminal cases in England and Wales. They can issue court fines for traffic offences, unpaid TV licences, public order offences, antisocial behaviour and more.

Magistrates court fine payments are a priority debt. That means you should always try to pay them ahead of other debts. This is because further action can be taken to collect them which can have a serious impact on you.

Worried about court fines?

We are here to help with our free debt advice and support service. We can help you take care of important payments and work out how to pay back your debt.

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About magistrates' court fine payments

When a court finds you guilty, they will ask you to give details of your income. This is because the court sets the fine amount based on:

  • The type of offence
  • How serious your case was
  • How much you are able to pay

You must go to the hearing and be able to show how much you can pay. You can do this by taking copies of:

  • Proof of your income or benefits. Such as wage slips
  • A budget showing your total income and living expenses

We can help you make a budget to share with the court.

Magistrates' courts can also issue liability orders for council tax arrears and child support debt. But the rules for these debts are different.

The court may set the fine higher than you can manage if you:

  • Do not go to the hearing, or
  • Do not give them the correct information

You can try to get the fine reduced, but it is not easy to do.

The court may also order you to pay compensation and court costs on top of the fine.

We can help you with your court fine debt

Get started with our free debt advice and support service online today.

Questions people ask us about court fine payments

Who do I need to contact about court fines?

You need to contact the ‘courts fines officer’.

Courts fines officers sometimes work within one court, but they can also cover a wider region.

Their details will be on the ‘collection order’ that was sent to you. This is the letter from the court with details about the fine.

The letter should include information about:

  • The case against you
  • The court’s address, phone number and opening hours

If you cannot find your collection order, you can:

How do I find out how much of a court fine is left to pay?

If the payments to the fine are not overdue:

You will need to contact the court who issued the fine. You can find their details on your collection order.

Either call or email them. It helps to have your case number to hand, as that makes it easier for them to find your case.

You can give them your name and address if you don’t have your case number. But it may be harder for them to find you. Especially if you have more than one recent address.

If the payments are overdue:

The court will be able to provide this information if you share your case number.

The court can tell you how much you owe. But there may be some extra charges due to you missing payments.

The debt may have been passed to a debt collection agency. If it has been sold on:

  • You will need to follow up with the debt collection agency who now have this debt
  • There may be extra charges added. These are to cover the costs for collecting what you owe

Can you pay a court fine in instalments?

Sometimes you can. At the hearing the court will decide on the best way you should pay the fine. The ‘collection order’ from the court tells you about the different ways to pay.

But if you are already behind with paying what you owe, then you should try to pay the debt as quickly as possible. If you are not able to pay, we are here to help you. Get debt advice today.

You can pay court fines by:

  • Making the payment in full
  • Paying in instalments – these can be weekly or monthly
  • Through an attachment of earnings order - this takes payments from your wages
  • Through a deduction from benefits using a direct earnings attachment - this takes payments from a DWP benefit

The court may decide that taking money from wages or benefits is the best to get the money owed. In this case you would pay the court fine payment in instalments.

The amounts are set by the court based on what you have shown them you can afford.

What happens if you cannot afford to pay a court fine?

Attachments of earnings to take money from wages or benefits are set at fixed amounts. You may not be able to reduce the payments once they are set but it is possible.

It is best to get in touch with the court fines officer before you miss a payment. You can phone or write to them at the court. Check your collection order to find their contact details.

What happens when you tell the court you cannot pay the fine:

  1. You need to complete a “statement of assets” form (MC100) to show what you can and cannot afford
  2. Tell the court if there is a reason why you cannot afford the payment at the moment. Such as you are unwell and unable to work, or you are waiting on benefits
  3. The court fine officer will look into your request to reduce your payments
  4. If they have all the information they need, they may agree to reduce your payments to the fine
  5. If they don’t agree, they may need to pass your case on to a magistrate or District Judge first
  6. If this happens, you will need to attend a hearing
  7. If they deny your request, you have up to 10 days to appeal to the court

You can still get in touch with the court and ask them to change what you pay if you have already missed a payment. But it is always best to contact the court as soon as possible.

The court will take further steps to collect court fine payments if you continue not to pay.

Further action that can be taken to collect court fine payments

The court can:

  • Take money directly from your wages or benefits
  • Send bailiffs (enforcement agents) to visit your home and remove goods
  • Get a charging order to secure the debt against your home

Then if you still do not pay the court fine, the court can:

  • Increase the fine by 50%
  • Order you to do unpaid work, such as ‘community service’
  • Send you to prison

I need help. How can you help me?

We help hundreds of thousands of people each year with our free debt advice and support services. We can help you by:

  • Making a budget to show the court what you can afford to pay
  • Dealing with any other debts you are worried about.

The easiest way to get started is to register online. Start, stop and pick up again at any time. Sign up today for free debt advice.

Other questions about court fine payments

Do I need a solicitor in a magistrates' court?

You may not need a solicitor for less serious cases. You must get qualified legal advice from a solicitor if:

  • The case is serious
  • There is a risk of prison
  • You do not agree that you committed the offence

The Criminal Law Solicitor's Association can help you find a solicitor in your area. You may need to pay for legal advice.

Can I go to prison if I do not pay my fine?

Yes, if the fine relates to a criminal offence.

Prison is a risk if:

  • The court has tried all other ways to get you to pay, or
  • You still refuse to pay

In some cases, a court can give you a 'suspended committal' to prison. This gives you one last chance to pay the fine and avoid prison.

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