Separating parents: paid to mediate

A £500 grant will be available to 2,000 separating couples under a government voucher scheme to encourage them towards mediation. The scheme will not be means tested and is intended to alleviate pressures on the family courts. It will be available to those seeking to resolve private law or financial matters relating to children. If a case is eligible, the mediator will automatically reclaim the contributions from the government. According to research, more than 70 per cent of couples used mediation services resolve their issues outside of courtroom.