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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Mary46 · 31/12/2025 16:59

I got out of it. Your pay is at your employer discretion. Im in a school. Cant be down wages.. I said I mind my elderly parent/check in on them. Such hassle if you not paid aswell

ToffeePennie · 31/12/2025 20:58

Muchtoomuchtodo · 31/12/2025 09:30

Even serving police officers are eligible for Jury service

Show quote history

No idea. I know that if I’m ever called, I simply have to tell them that I have been and have serving family members and I will not be allowed to carry on.

DisforDarkChocolate · 31/12/2025 21:05

I used to be on a list of people who weren't eligible, the rules have changed I wonder if I'm eligible again?

Alconleigh · 31/12/2025 21:14

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.

Edited

Like others who’ve commented, I find this fascinating as I’ve never been called (nearly 50) and nor have any of my family or close friends. And yet other people have been called multiple times. I was starting to wonder if we’re on a black list 😀

Imgoingoutthefrontdoorwithgerry · 31/12/2025 21:23

Dinosaurus86 · 29/12/2025 18:46

So is it accurate that the £64 is supposed to cover both loss of earnings and childcare? It’s not covered separately? Nursery for DS is £72/day and the summons falls in half term, when he doesn’t usually attend.

I would defer, I think the earliest call back is a year. Hopefully it will fall in term time whereby I’m assuming you receive the 30 hours free childcare from the government - full entitlement if both parents are working.

Allisnotlost1 · 31/12/2025 21:32

ToffeePennie · 31/12/2025 20:58

No idea. I know that if I’m ever called, I simply have to tell them that I have been and have serving family members and I will not be allowed to carry on.

Show quote history

Who told you this? Law enforcement are not automatically exempt and neither are their families.

SwirlyShirly · 31/12/2025 21:32

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!

Edited

Exact same thing happened to me and I was broke by the end of the trial.

JenniferBooth · 31/12/2025 22:00

Theres an ITV drama in here somewhere.

Katieweasel · 31/12/2025 22:27

DH was on a jury for a case that lasted over a year. It wasn’t every day but I think in total it was around 80 days actually in court, often with long breaks in between. I believe he got an enhanced daily allowance due to length of service but don’t think it was more than £100. Crippled us financially. His employer was not happy about it at all.

Friendlygingercat · 31/12/2025 23:12

For many years I was employed in roles where I would have recieved mynormal pay.I would love to have served but was never called. A year after I retired from full time work and became self employed I got called. I got a medical excusement by saying I had agorophobia. I was never called again and am now past the age.

caringcarer · 01/01/2026 02:28

I managed to defer when I was a student as 3 weeks before my final exams. My Auntie always said she wanted to do it. Then she got called and had to do a trial that lasted for 3 weeks. She was not allowed to discuss it with anyone and it was a murder trial but in the end it turned into manslaughter. She hated it and said never again.

ToffeePennie · 01/01/2026 03:27

Allisnotlost1 · 31/12/2025 21:32

Who told you this? Law enforcement are not automatically exempt and neither are their families.

Show quote history

Well, it happened to my sister, who has been out of the service for about 2 years: she was given jury duty, went to the court told them about her service history and that we had relatives still serving.
She was told she was “ineligible for jury duty” and she was dismissed, after she as told the rest of her family (ie; the rest of us as she still lives at home) would also be struck, as there can be biases formed. So I figured that must be the reason.

Allisnotlost1 · 01/01/2026 09:03

ToffeePennie · 01/01/2026 03:27

Well, it happened to my sister, who has been out of the service for about 2 years: she was given jury duty, went to the court told them about her service history and that we had relatives still serving.
She was told she was “ineligible for jury duty” and she was dismissed, after she as told the rest of her family (ie; the rest of us as she still lives at home) would also be struck, as there can be biases formed. So I figured that must be the reason.

Show quote history

If there is a connection to the case - eg if the incident happened in a serving officer or family’s force area - then likely would be barred from that case but I don’t believe it’s a blanket ban. I think it would be good to have that ban in place for exactly the reason you say though.

Kimura · 02/01/2026 06:38

ToffeePennie · 01/01/2026 03:27

Well, it happened to my sister, who has been out of the service for about 2 years: she was given jury duty, went to the court told them about her service history and that we had relatives still serving.
She was told she was “ineligible for jury duty” and she was dismissed, after she as told the rest of her family (ie; the rest of us as she still lives at home) would also be struck, as there can be biases formed. So I figured that must be the reason.

Show quote history

She was told she was “ineligible for jury duty” and she was dismissed, after she as told the rest of her family (ie; the rest of us as she still lives at home) would also be struck, as there can be biases formed.

I have a number of close friends in the police, and used to train with serving police quite regularly.

When I was called for Jury duty they pretty much all said the same thing: "If they're in court, it means they did it".

True or not, I can see why they might be reluctant to have police/close family on a jury for bias reasons 😅

Oldandgreyer · 03/01/2026 13:30

I did jury duty. I claimed on my business insurance and that took longer than the court case.

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