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Original poster

Jury service expenses are ridiculous

265 replies

Dinosaurus86 · 29/12/2025 18:25

Posting here partly for traffic, partly because it is ridiculous and wondering if anyone has experience.

Have just been called for jury service. I am PT self employed. Have a one year old not in any formal childcare. I also have a just turned four year old who is in nursery for two full days and one further short one / week. The wording of my letter seems to suggest that you can get a maximum amount of £64/ day to cover both loss of earnings and additional childcare costs. Does anyone know if this is correct? Because it is less than even the full day rate for nursery before I even take any loss of earnings into account - and that is just for one child - no idea what I’d do about the younger one. We have some family but not enough to cover full time, and she isn’t used to being away from me. Not sure if I should attempt to defer or if will just have the same problems in a few months… help!!!

OP posts:
JenniferBooth · 29/12/2025 18:41

Somebody could potentially end up homeless due to doing this Ridiculous

Canonlythinkofthisone · 29/12/2025 18:41

Yup it really is that ridiculous.
My DH was called a few months ago and had to defer as he can't take the hit on earnings.
Flip side is I would love to be called and my work pay full pay for JS so. There should be a register that you can volunteer yourself on, surely it would be easier!

Saz12 · 29/12/2025 18:40

@tsmainsqueeze, I dont think you'd get off so easily now, unfortunately.

tsmainsqueeze · 29/12/2025 18:37

I was called up about 20 years ago , i explained i had to drive my 2 young children to school and it would be impossible to then get to court at the designated time , they didn't ask if there was anyone to help me so i didn't tell them if there was or wasn't😉
They did ask me how long this situation would last and i answered according to how long my youngest would be at that school.
I was excused not deferred and so far fingers crossed have not been called again.
I cannot believe the courts/government think it's acceptable for people on jury service to potentially end up out of pocket.

Saz12 · 29/12/2025 18:36

I have had to serve 3 times! I've been cited a forth time, but I'm young enough to still have children at home. I've deferred the last couple of citations, but have received yet another one for March, which I will try to defer again.

It's ridiculous- the expenses offered dont even cover minimum wage, and that's before you add on childcare, transport, etc. I agree that we should do our duty, BUT I feel v hard done by being called quite so often.

Original poster
Dinosaurus86 · 29/12/2025 18:36

Yes I guess I’ll ask to defer. The funny thing is that I would quite like to do it! But they don’t exactly make it easy. I do still feed 1yo before her nap and to sleep - I wasn’t sure if I should mention it as she’s not exactly a tiny baby.

OP posts:
ContentedAlpaca · 29/12/2025 18:30

Yes it's that pathetic.
We need to keep juries though and I'm glad so many here would like to and would be able to do it without it causing as much hardship as someone in your circumstances.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 29/12/2025 18:29

When I deferred due to Bf a newborn, I got sent another date to attend in exactly a years time!

Theredjellybean · 29/12/2025 18:28

It's a shame you can't swap or effectively offer it to someone who can and wants to do it

Mathematic · 29/12/2025 18:27

@Dinosaurus86 there are ways to get out of jury service, people regularly get out of doing it. There are some good threads on here regarding that. Realistically there are lots of other people they can call on who won't take the same financial hit you would.

SauvignonBlanche · 29/12/2025 18:27

I’d defer, in your circumstances.

I wish they’d call me.

babasaclover · 29/12/2025 18:27

You can decline on basis of not having a place for your 1 year old. If you got a murder case you could be stuck on it for months!

damemaggiescurledupperlip · 29/12/2025 18:26

Tell them you’re breastfeeding - they’ll defer you

Sillysoggyspaniel · 29/12/2025 18:26

Completely agree. I haven't been called but I'm also self employed with two kids and it's on my radar. I'd defer and hope I wasn't called again for a while. The "expenses" are an absolute joke.

RandomMess · 29/12/2025 18:26

Defer your jury service. It really is that ridiculous.