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Original poster

Financial hit of jury service

198 replies

Pheasantsfeather · 06/07/2026 18:29

I've just been summoned for jury service. Checked the terms and conditions and our company will grant special leave to attend but you are unpaid. You can claim £64 per day back in expenses. My take home per day is three times that.

I am fully supportive of why I need to do it, but I can't believe I'm expected to take such a financial hit. If it were to go on for the full 10 days, I will be over £1000 out of pocket. I can't afford that, we have nursery and holiday club fees for 3x children and a mortgage to pay.

How can you be duty bound to do something that costs you so much in lost earnings?

OP posts:
Pinkocsb · 07/07/2026 21:28

Enigma54 · 07/07/2026 18:18

I’ve just been summoned also. I’m on gruelling cancer treatment and am now unwell with Heart failure from chemo! I’ve asked to be excused!

Good luck with your treatment x

LoopyGremlin · 07/07/2026 20:57

I am public sector so would be paid as usual but my DH is self-employed and charges more than £64 an hour. Plus he would lose customers if he could not say when he would be able to return to work. For that reason he always opts out which is a shame but he should not be out of pocket for doing his civic duty!

Tuesdayschild50 · 07/07/2026 20:23

Reply immediately and say this will cause severe financial hardship if your employer won't pay it .
Some pay in full .. they will ask for proof of hardship .

Lovely13 · 07/07/2026 20:11

Cut-off for jury service is aged 70 - who would be just in right place to serve, rather than working people and those with children. Get that those may not be the demographic they want, but they need to be realistic.

YorkshirePuddingsGreatestFan · 07/07/2026 20:08

I did it a couple of years back. My employer wouldn't pay me while I was attending.

I turned up diligently every morning for 10 days. I sat in a room for a few hours. They said I was not needed and sent me home.

I didn't get to do any actual jury service and was only given about £30 per day as I'd only been there for half a day.

It was a massive loss of earnings. I'm single and had to dip into my savings to cover my basic living costs.

I would try and get out of it if they called me up again.

Original poster
Pheasantsfeather · 07/07/2026 20:07

Thanks all. I think I will have to try and get exemption. It's a shame but I can't take the hit with small children.

I'm really interested about all the comments around sitting around and getting sent home? Why is it not better organised

OP posts:
tsmainsqueeze · 07/07/2026 20:02

Lampzade · 07/07/2026 19:45

My dsis was summoned for jury duty . She read the letter but didn’t bother replying
She believed that if she replied she would have to think of a good excuse to avoid jury duty and she didn’t think that financial loss implications would be accepted

Did they chase up the letter do you know ?
A pp also mentions ignoring the letter , i live in dread of being called up , i got out of it about 20 years ago and i'm wondering about doing this if i get called again.

TY78910 · 07/07/2026 19:47

HerLadySheep · 06/07/2026 18:49

The problem with this is the only people who can afford to be on a jury are the retired, the unemployed and public sector workers, it’s meant to be a “jury of your peers” and in reality a jury can be totally unrepresentative of the population

That’s not entirely true. I am none of those things, my employer paid my two weeks in full. Most of my jury were people who had interesting jobs. In fact two were retired and one had a living wage job. The case did over run slightly though and so I claimed loss of earnings for three days I believe.

Lampzade · 07/07/2026 19:45

My dsis was summoned for jury duty . She read the letter but didn’t bother replying
She believed that if she replied she would have to think of a good excuse to avoid jury duty and she didn’t think that financial loss implications would be accepted

Pinkflamingo10 · 07/07/2026 19:31

Say you cannot afford it, you wouldn’t be able to pay your mortgage etc this is a valid excusal reason.

RoseOliviaAu · 07/07/2026 19:28

mnareshatrantee · 07/07/2026 08:01

I’m surprised they’d even talk to you about it tbh.

Show quote history

I just used his email account.

19lottie82 · 07/07/2026 19:27

Manteiga · 07/07/2026 19:18

Or how about employers have to administrate opt-out insurance, rather like pensions?

Show quote history

Is that a thing?

Manteiga · 07/07/2026 19:18

19lottie82 · 07/07/2026 19:06

To everyone saying employers should pay, why them and not the government? It could be crippling for a small business.

Or how about employers have to administrate opt-out insurance, rather like pensions?

1985goingbackagain · 07/07/2026 19:11

MMUmum · 07/07/2026 18:10

Yes, I remember the Maxeell brothers trial, went on for months 😕

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The usher on my case said the longest one she’d seen was just short of 3 years - summing up took over 3 months 🤯. The trial I was on was 10 days (sa of a child under 13) and that was plenty long enough for me even though I’d been really keen to do jury service. It was a really interesting experience though (and my employer paid the extra above the court allowance)

19lottie82 · 07/07/2026 19:06

To everyone saying employers should pay, why them and not the government? It could be crippling for a small business.

oncemoreuntothebeachdearfriends · 07/07/2026 18:52

I've been called 3 times, & cited childcare issues.
The real reason was the financial loss.
It was granted, no checks were made, & the last time DS was c.15.

Manteiga · 07/07/2026 18:51

ToffeeCrabApple · 07/07/2026 08:24

For context, to receive £129 a day net you need a salary over £40k.

Add in the value of the childcare, travel and meals expenses and for most people on up to about £60k you should not be too out of pocket.

They make up earnings nett of income tax and N.I. contributions, so you'd reach the £129 cap at about £43k - £44k (assuming the standard personal allowance). But extra childcare expenses aren't paid on top; the cap is on loss of earnings plus extra childcare expenses. Even without having to fork out more for childcare, you'd still be £650 out of pocket for the 10 days £65 cap was applied.

Greeeg · 07/07/2026 18:38

I agreed to do it back in April and then asked to be excused a few weeks before the start date and they accepted.
Didn't have to give dates that I could do in the future either. I think I got lucky.
I was all up for it at first then realised the massive impact it would have with my work, toddler & money, I just couldn't commit.

FFSItsTooHot · 07/07/2026 18:25

I agree with you. I think it's ridiculous that people are expected to lose considerable amounts of money for taking time off work,to do their duty! If the powers that be didn't want people to say they can't do it then maybe they should try offering them adequate compensation for their lost wages.

Enigma54 · 07/07/2026 18:18

I’ve just been summoned also. I’m on gruelling cancer treatment and am now unwell with Heart failure from chemo! I’ve asked to be excused!

MMUmum · 07/07/2026 18:10

DameOfThrones · 06/07/2026 18:31

Be careful OP.

My DH got put on a case that lasted 3 months!

Luckily his firm payed him his full wage though.

Yes, I remember the Maxeell brothers trial, went on for months 😕

MaeveK · 07/07/2026 18:07

My husband was excused because we couldn’t afford for him to do it (I was on maternity leave and his work wouldn’t make up the difference). He hasn’t been asked since and that was 10 years ago.

JuniperKeats · 07/07/2026 18:06

Find a reason to refuse. I cited hip pain, u able to sit for long periods while waiting for hip replacement. Mostly true, esp the latter.
accepted without query

JJWT · 07/07/2026 18:05

HerLadySheep · 06/07/2026 18:49

The problem with this is the only people who can afford to be on a jury are the retired, the unemployed and public sector workers, it’s meant to be a “jury of your peers” and in reality a jury can be totally unrepresentative of the population

Public sector workers?! My FE college would NOT pay my wages!

Mackerelfillets · 07/07/2026 18:02

Im obvs under the misapprehension that your work have to give you time off and pay you. My friend was allowed to not go due to childcare issues.