If you’ve been given a magistrates’ court fine it’s important you pay it. If you don’t, the court can:

• take the money from your wages or benefits
• send bailiffs to your home to collect what you owe – you’ll have to pay bailiff’s fees as well as your outstanding fine
• ‘register’ the fine – this means the fine will stay on your credit history for 5 years and might stop you from getting credit in the future

In extreme cases you could be put in prison, but normally only if the court thinks you’re deliberately not paying.

Court fines are a priority debt. This means you need to pay them before debts like credit cards. If you have more than one debt, you should read our ‘get help with debt‘ guide – or contact us.

How to pay the fine

The court will send you a letter that tells you how much to pay, when you have to pay by and where to send the money – this is called a ‘notice of fine’. You can also pay court fines online at GOV.UK.

If you can’t afford to pay the fine

Check your letters from the court to find out who to contact. You should ask if you can pay:

• in instalments (or in smaller amounts if you’re already paying in instalments)
• over a longer period
• at a later date

If you can’t find any contact details, find the court or tribunal on GOV.UK.

Work out your budget

You’ll need to show how much you can afford to pay, so it’s a good idea to work out your budget before you contact the court. You can use a budgeting tool to do this, or you can contact us. If your income has gone down, or you’ve got no money left after essential bills like rent, Council Tax or gas and electric, you should explain this to the court. They might agree to cancel the fine (write it off) if it’s clear you can no longer afford to pay it.

If you don’t pay the fine in time

If the court hasn’t heard from you by the deadline in your notice of fine letter, they’ll send you another letter – this tells you what further steps they’re planning to take. If you still don’t pay, the court will usually ask bailiffs to collect the debt.

If bailiffs collect the debt

You can read more about what to do if bailiffs are on your doorstep. Bailiffs have to give you at least 7 days’ notice before they come to your home. They might let you pay in instalments, but they’ll normally want the debt paid off quickly, for example within a few weeks. It’s often better to try to negotiate a repayment plan with the court before the bailiffs turn up. If you can’t pay your court fine to the bailiffs, they’re allowed to use reasonable force to enter your home – but they can’t push you out of the way or assault you.

If you’re told to go to a hearing

ImportantIf you get a court summons for not paying your court fine, you must go to the hearing – unless you’ve paid the fine in full before you’re due in court. You could be arrested and put in prison if you don’t.

A hearing is your chance to show the court how much you can afford to pay, so make sure you take evidence of your income and living expenses with you.

Court hearings by phone or video call

The court will tell you what kind of hearing you’ll have. Check how to prepare for a hearing by phone or video call.

You can contact us if you’re not sure what documents you need. It’s a good idea to get legal help too. The consequences of a hearing can be serious, for example the judge can increase your fine by 50% or even send your case to the High Court. A solicitor can help you explain your circumstances to the judge. If you can’t afford a solicitor, check if you’re eligible for legal aid. There may be other ways you can get legal help.

If you think you need extra support

You can get extra support at your hearing if you’re ‘vulnerable’. You can be considered vulnerable by the court in lots of different situations, for example if:

• you’re disabled or have a long-term health condition – including mental health conditions
• you don’t speak or read English well
• you’ve experienced abuse or violence
• you’re under 18 years old

There are ways the court can help you during your hearing – these are called ‘special measures’ and could include:

• putting up a screen so only court staff, legal representatives and interpreters can see you
• using a communication device for a disability – like an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device
• letting someone go with you to the court

Try to tell the court what support you’ll need before your hearing – you can find their contact details on the letter that was sent to you. If you can’t get in touch before your hearing, you can also tell them on the day.