There was a 3% increase in family cases in the fourth quarter of 2025, compared to the previous year—with private family law up 13%, financial remedies up 13% and domestic abuse cases up 4%, according to the Family Court Statistics Quarterly: October to December 2025.
Throughout 2025, both parties appeared without a lawyer in almost half (47%) of private family cases, which often involve a dispute over child arrangements.
Law Society president Mark Evans urged the government to bring back family legal aid—removed from most family matters 13 years ago by LASPO (the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012).
Evans said: ‘These figures tell a clear story. Too many people are left to navigate complex and emotional court processes alone. Investing now would ease the immediate pressure on the civil justice system.’
