MIAM Cost UK — Family Mediation Fees Explained

Before you can file a contested C100 application for a Child Arrangements Order in England, you will usually need to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting — a MIAM. Some applications, including consent-order applications, are exempt. The costs catch many parents off guard, especially when they're already budgeting for court fees and potentially solicitor time.

Here's what a MIAM actually costs, what full mediation runs to, and how to access the government's £500 voucher to offset those fees.

What a MIAM Costs

A MIAM typically costs between £100 and £150 per person. This is a single session — usually 45 minutes to an hour — with an authorised family mediator. During the meeting, the mediator explains the mediation process, assesses whether mediation is suitable for your case, and screens for safeguarding concerns like domestic abuse or coercive control.

The parent intending to make the C100 application must attend their own MIAM; the other parent may attend separately, but their attendance is not required before the applicant can apply. If mediation is assessed as unsuitable — because one party refuses to engage, there are safety concerns, or the issues aren't amenable to mediation — the mediator signs your Form FM1 confirming MIAM attendance, which you attach to your C100 court application.

Some mediators offer a reduced rate or a free initial call before the formal MIAM. It's worth asking, but the formal MIAM itself will always have a fee unless you qualify for Legal Aid.

Full Mediation Costs

If you proceed beyond the MIAM into active mediation sessions, costs increase substantially:

• Joint mediation sessions run £120–£150 + VAT per hour, per person
• Total mediation for a child arrangements dispute typically ranges from £400 to £1,500, depending on complexity and the number of sessions needed
• Financial mediation (property division, pensions) costs more — often £1,500–£3,000 for the full process

For context, a contested C100 application through the courts with solicitor representation can cost £3,000–£15,000+ per party. Even at the higher end of mediation fees, it's a fraction of litigation costs — which is precisely why the court system pushes so hard for it.

The £500 Family Mediation Voucher Scheme

The government's Family Mediation Voucher Scheme provides up to £500 toward the cost of mediation for eligible families. The voucher covers joint mediation sessions (not the initial MIAM) and is available for disputes about child arrangements — not financial matters.

To access the voucher:

1. Attend your MIAM with an authorised mediator who participates in the scheme
2. Both parents agree to attempt mediation (it's a joint process)
3. The mediator applies for the voucher on your behalf
4. The £500 is paid directly to the mediator, reducing what you pay out of pocket

In many cases, the £500 voucher covers the entire cost of mediation for a child arrangements dispute. If your case requires more sessions than the voucher covers, you pay the difference.

The voucher has been extended multiple times and is currently available, though funding is periodically reviewed. Check with your mediator at the MIAM whether the scheme is accepting new applications.

When You Don't Need a MIAM

There are statutory exemptions that let you file a C100 without attending a MIAM first. The main ones:

• Domestic abuse — you have evidence such as a police caution or conviction, a non-molestation order, a relevant protective injunction, a letter from a domestic violence support service, or a finding of fact by a court
• Child protection — the child is subject to a child protection plan, or local authority enquiries are ongoing
• Urgency — there's a risk to the life, liberty, or physical safety of the applicant or child, or a risk the child will be unlawfully removed from the UK
• Previous MIAM or non-court dispute resolution — a MIAM or other non-court dispute resolution process about the same or a very similar dispute took place within the last four months
• Respondent in prison or bail conditions prevent contact
• The applicant doesn't know where the other parent is and cannot reasonably find out

Since the 2024 rule updates, the geographic exemption has been tightened significantly. It used to be enough that there was no mediator within 15 miles. Now, the court assumes online MIAMs are universally available. To claim a geographic exemption, you'd need to show that you can't access an online meeting and that you contacted at least five authorised mediators within 15 miles, all of whom couldn't offer an appointment within 15 business days. In practice, this exemption almost never applies anymore.

A previously claimed MIAM exemption also no longer automatically exempts you from a new application — if a dispute resurfaces, you must attend a fresh MIAM unless a current, independent exemption applies.

Legal Aid for Mediation

If your gross monthly income is below certain thresholds, you may qualify for Legal Aid, which covers the full cost of both the MIAM and any subsequent mediation sessions. The income thresholds vary depending on family size and housing costs, but broadly:

• You and your partner: joint gross income of £2,657/month or less before tax, where a partner's income is included
• With dependants: thresholds increase per child
• Assets are generally assessed against an £8,000 limit, although exceptions and other means-assessment rules apply

Your mediator can assess your eligibility at the MIAM. If you qualify, mediation is entirely free. If your ex-partner doesn't qualify for Legal Aid, they still pay their share — but the scheme makes the process accessible for at least one party.

Is Mediation Worth the Cost?

For parents who can communicate — even if it's difficult — mediation is almost always cheaper and faster than court. Average mediation for child arrangements takes 3–5 sessions and resolves within 6–8 weeks. Average court proceedings for the same dispute take 6–12 months.

But mediation isn't suitable for every case. It assumes roughly equal bargaining power. If one parent has been subjected to coercive control, if there are serious safeguarding concerns, or if one party simply refuses to negotiate in good faith, the MIAM mediator will confirm that mediation isn't appropriate — and you move to a C100 application with a clear conscience and the required Form FM1.

For a complete walkthrough of the mediation-to-court pathway, including what to prepare for your MIAM, how to structure a parenting proposal for the mediator, and what happens when you proceed to a C100 application, the England Child Custody & Parenting Plan Guide covers each step with practical checklists.

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