New Court Fees Could Put Vulnerable People at Risk of Violence
New court fees that came into effect on Wednesday, 1 May, could potentially put vulnerable individuals at risk of violence, according to Money Wellness. The organization, which provides free debt help, warns that the increased fees could have dangerous consequences for survivors of domestic abuse and others at risk of violence.
Under the new fee structure, anyone who is granted an insolvency solution due to an inability to repay their debts will have their personal information, including their address, listed in the public insolvency register. While survivors of domestic violence and other at-risk individuals can request to have their address withheld from the register, this comes at a cost.
In order to have their details removed, individuals must apply for a person at risk of violence (PARV) order through the court. Prior to 1 May, this fee was £280, but it has now risen to £308.
According to Sebrina McCullough, director of external relations at Money Wellness, this increase in fees could have dangerous implications for survivors of domestic violence. “More often than not, individuals fleeing domestic violence leave with nothing – usually just the clothes on their backs,” she says. “Many of them are in a dire financial situation and need support.”
McCullough explains that while the recent elimination of the £90 debt relief order fee has made accessing debt help more affordable and accessible for survivors, the increase in the PARV fee has created a dangerous situation in which survivors must either delay their application for insolvency while saving up for the fee or risk their abuser finding them by not applying for the PARV order.
“We shouldn’t be forcing domestic violence survivors to jump through hoops,” McCullough asserts. “Expecting vulnerable individuals who are already experiencing extreme financial problems to find over £300 seems at best unrealistic and at worst cruel. So, we’re calling on the government to drop the PARV fee as well.”
There are some cases in which the fee may be waived for applicants who meet certain income-related criteria. However, Money Wellness has already encountered two cases where the PARV fee was a concern.
One customer, who had fled a violent relationship, was advised by Money Wellness to apply for PARV before completing an application for a debt relief order. However, just one week later, the customer had to call back and continue with the DRO application due to the urgency of their financial situation. The risk of their details being found by their abuser was too great for them to wait and save up for the fee.
Another customer, who was removed from their former property due to concerns of potential violence, has had their application for a DRO put on hold while they save up for the PARV fee. Their financial situation will not improve until they are able to come up with the £308 necessary to apply for the PARV order.
Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/
