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EX160 form: ask for help paying a court fee

Form EX160 is the paper application for Help with Fees, which can reduce or remove a court fee. You fill it in if you have little or no savings and receive certain benefits or have a low income.

Fill in the EX160 form with Wren

How Wren helps with the EX160

Official forms are written for lawyers. With Wren you do not have to decode this one on your own, and you still follow the court’s procedure.

  1. Plain questions, one at a timeEach part of the EX160 becomes short questions in everyday words. Answer at your own pace and come back to it.
  2. Help beside each questionWhat the question is asking and what the official guidance says about it, in plain English.
  3. The official form, filled inYour answers go into the official EX160. You check it, sign it and send it yourself. Nothing goes to the court for you.
  4. What comes next, kept with your caseWhat usually happens after you send it, with the dates worked out from the published rules.

Time and money

On your own
An hour or two
With Wren
15 to 30 minutes
Solicitor for this form
£250 to £4901 to 2 hours

A solicitor’s time for the EX160 can run to £490. With Wren it is part of £19.99 a month, and it takes 15 to 30 minutes rather than an hour or two.

Times and hours are Wren’s estimates for a typical case, not quotes. Solicitor costs are those hours at £247 an hour, the courts’ guideline rate for a solicitor with over four years’ experience, outside London (GOV.UK, Solicitors' guideline hourly rates (in effect from 1 January 2026)). The guideline runs from £200 to £295 an hour outside London depending on experience, firms set their own rates, and VAT is added on top.

Key facts

Official title
Apply for help with court and tribunal fees: Form EX160
When to apply
At the same time as the court application, sent to the address on that applicationSource: How to apply (external source, opens in a new tab)
One application per fee
You need a separate Help with Fees application for each feeSource: How to apply (external source, opens in a new tab)
Savings limit
Up to £4,250 where the fee is £1,420 or less. Up to £16,000 whatever the fee if you or your partner are 66 or older.Source: Eligibility: Your savings (external source, opens in a new tab)
Income limit for money off
£1,420 or less if single, or £2,130 or less with a partner. Add £425 per child aged 0 to 13 and £710 per child aged 14 or over.Source: Eligibility: Your income (external source, opens in a new tab)
Refunds
Possible for a fee paid in the last 3 months if you were eligible at the timeSource: Introduction (external source, opens in a new tab)
Time limit after signing
An application received more than 28 days after it was signed may be rejectedSource: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)

Who uses the EX160

The person who has to pay the court fee. A legal representative or litigation friend can apply for you, using your details.

When it is used

You apply at the same time as you make your court application, and send both together. You can also apply for a refund of a fee you paid in the last 3 months if you were eligible when you paid.

Before you start

  • Your National Insurance number, or your Home Office reference number if you have one instead.
  • The form number of the court form you are sending, for example C100 or Form A, and any case number.
  • Details of your savings and investments, and your partner's if you have one.
  • Your income for the last calendar month, and for the last 3 months in case the average is lower.
  • Any benefit letters, in case the court asks for evidence later.
  • If you have a partner, their National Insurance number, date of birth and financial details.

How to fill in the EX160

Open each part for what it asks and how to answer it. In Wren, each part is a few plain questions, and your answers fill in the form.

Your details and relationship status

You give your name, address, date of birth and National Insurance or Home Office number. You then say whether you are single or living with a partner. The guidance says you can choose single if you are permanently separated and not living with a new partner. You can also choose single if your partner has a conflicting interest in the case. That matters in family cases, where the other party is often a former partner.

The fee you need help with

You say whether you have already paid, the form number of your court form and any case number. The form number is usually at the bottom of the first page of a paper form.

Savings and investments

You choose a savings band for you and any partner. Leave out a partner's savings if your case is against them. If you are under 66 and your savings are between £4,250 and £15,999, you give the exact amount.

Benefits

You say whether you get one of the listed benefits. These are income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Income Support. Universal Credit with earnings under £6,000 a year and Pension Credit guarantee credit also count. If you do, you skip the income questions.

Children and income

You give the number of children you support in each age band. You then tick your income types and give the total for last calendar month, or a 3-month average if that is lower. Wages are given before tax and National Insurance.

Declaration and statement of truth

You sign and date a declaration that the information is correct and complete. Giving false information can lead to criminal or civil proceedings, and the full fee becoming payable.

Prepare your EX160 with Wren Family

Wren Family turns official forms into short, plain-English questions you can answer at your own pace. You check everything before you send it: nothing goes to the court for you.

Get started

Free for 14 days, no card. Then £19.99 a month, with your money back within 14 days if it’s not right.

What happens after you send it

Court staff process the Help with Fees application with your court application. You get a letter if it is unsuccessful or if they need more information, such as evidence of income. You must send any evidence asked for within 28 days of the letter, or the application is treated as abandoned. If you are refused, you can appeal in writing by the date in the refusal letter. The guidance says you will get a response within 10 working days.

Common mistakes

  • Sending the EX160 separately from the court application. They go together to the address on the court form.
  • Using one EX160 for two different fees. Each fee needs its own application.
  • Including the other party's savings or income when your case is against them.
  • Giving wages after tax. The form asks for wages before tax and National Insurance.
  • Signing the form and sending it weeks later. It may be rejected if received more than 28 days after signing.

Common questions

Can I get help with the C100 fee?

Help with Fees can apply to court fees, including the £270 fee for a C100 application. Whether you qualify depends on your savings, benefits and income.

Can I apply for Help with Fees online instead of using EX160?

Yes. GOV.UK says you can apply online when you make your court application, or by post using form EX160.

Do I count my ex-partner's income on EX160?

The guidance says you can choose single if you are permanently separated and not living with a new partner. You can also choose single if your partner has a conflicting interest in the case.

Can I get a refund of a court fee I have already paid?

Yes, if you paid the fee in the last 3 months. You must also have been eligible for help when you paid it.

Is there a fee for a non-molestation or occupation order?

No. The fees list says there is no fee for an FL401 application for either order.

Where these facts come from

These are the official rules and pages this page is based on. They are listed so you can check a detail for yourself; you do not need them to use Wren. They are outside Wren and open in a new tab.

Last checked against its sources on . How we check our pages.

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