Children and money

FP161 form: appeal to the Family Division of the High Court

Form FP161 is the appellant's notice, or notice of appeal, used only for appeals to the Family Division of the High Court. The person appealing fills it in, and can ask for permission to appeal on the same form.

Fill in the FP161 form with Wren

How Wren helps with the FP161

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.

Plain questions, one at a timeEach part of the FP161 becomes short questions in everyday words. Answer at your own pace and come back to it.
Help beside each questionWhat the question is asking and what the official guidance says about it, in plain English.
The official form, filled inYour answers go into the official FP161. You check it, sign it and send it yourself. Nothing goes to the court for you.
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 FP161 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.

Official title: Appellant's notice for appeals to the Family Division of the High Court: Form FP161
Edition: 06.23 (11 pages). Guidance notes FP161A and respondent's notes FP161B are also published.Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
Time limit: 21 days after the decision, unless the judge set a different period. 7 days for a case management decision or an interim care order.Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
Serving it: Serve each respondent as soon as practicable, and no later than 7 days after filing, unless the appeal court orders otherwise.Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
Fee (Children Act appeals): £251 for an appeal about a Children Act 1989 decision, from 13 July 2026.Source: Appeals under Children Act 1989 (external source, opens in a new tab)
Where it goes: The Family Division Appeals Office at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, by post, DX or email.Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
Permission: Usually needed. You can ask for it on the form if the judge did not grant it at the hearing.Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)

Who uses the FP161

A party who wants to appeal certain family decisions, for example one made by a circuit judge or recorder in the family court. Appeals to the family court or the Court of Appeal use form N161 instead.

When it is used

After a decision you believe is legally wrong. You can only appeal on legal grounds, such as a serious legal mistake or the wrong procedure, not just because you disagree.

Before you start

The case number and the date of the decision you want to appeal.
The name and status of the judge who made it, such as circuit judge or recorder.
A sealed copy of the order you are appealing.
A transcript or note of the judgment, or the date you expect to have one.
Your grounds of appeal: what you say the judge got wrong in law or procedure.
Any order granting or refusing permission to appeal, with the judge's reasons.

How to fill in the FP161

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.

Sections 1 and 2: the case and the decision

You give the case number, the court, the judge and the date of the decision. You say whether it was a case management, interim or final decision, which affects the time limit.

Sections 3 and 4: the parties and representation

You give details of everyone in the appeal and say whether a lawyer acts for you.

Section 5: permission to appeal

You say whether you need permission and whether it was granted. If not, you ask the appeal court for it here. Section 6 asks which part of the order you appeal and whether you are in time.

Sections 7 to 9: grounds and what you want

You set out your grounds of appeal and the arguments that support them. You then say whether you want the order set aside, varied or reheard.

Sections 10 and 11: other applications and evidence

Here you can ask for a stay, which pauses the order or the case, or for more time to file the notice. You must give reasons and evidence in Section 11, with a statement of truth.

Sections 12 and 13: supporting documents and signing

You tick the documents you are filing. If one is missing, give the reason and when it will be ready. More than 14 days needs an explanation. The form warns that missing documents could delay the appeal or lead to dismissal.

Prepare your FP161 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

A judge usually considers permission without a hearing and sends a written decision. If permission is refused, you may be able to ask for a hearing to reconsider within 7 days of receiving the order. GOV.UK says the court usually sends copies to the respondent, unless you say you will. An appeal does not pause the original order unless a court orders it.

Common mistakes

Missing the time limit, especially the 7-day limit for a case management decision.
Using FP161 for an appeal that goes to the family court or the Court of Appeal, which use form N161.
Appealing because you disagree with the outcome, rather than on legal grounds.
Leaving out the sealed order or the judgment, without explaining why and when it will follow.

Common questions

How long do I have to appeal a family court decision?

Usually 21 days after the decision, unless the judge set a different deadline. For a case management decision or an interim care order it is 7 days.

Which court do I appeal to?

It depends on who made the decision. GOV.UK says a circuit judge's or recorder's decision usually goes to the High Court. Some exceptions go to the Court of Appeal.

Do I need permission to appeal?

In most cases, yes. Exceptions include committal orders and secure accommodation orders. You can ask for permission on the FP161.

How much does an FP161 appeal cost?

For an appeal about a Children Act 1989 decision the fee is £251. Help with fees may be available, and the form asks you to send EX160 with it.

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 7 October 2026. How we check our pages.