The fifth Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010) Practice Direction update of 2023 has been issued, amending two existing Practice Directions that underpin the HM Courts and Tribunals Service online systems for certain types of family proceedings, namely FPR 2010, PD 36P Pilot Scheme: Placement proceedings: Procedure for specified steps to be taken via the online system and FPR 2010, PD 36ZC Pilot Scheme: Procedure for using an online system to complete certain proceedings for a matrimonial order or civil partnership order (new law), inter alia, to extend the end dates for both Practice Directions to 31 March 2024. In addition, a typographical error in FPR 2010, PD 6A—service within the jurisdiction is amended. The amendments take effect from 31 October 2023.

The first Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010) Practice Direction update of 2024 has been issued, amending various Practice Directions, including in relation to mediation information and assessment meetings (MIAMS), updated guidance on how to communicate with the court by email, the replacement of Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Programmes (DAPPs) with domestic abuse interventions as DAPPs are no longer being provided and the extension of various pilot schemes under FPR 2010, PD 36G, FPR 2010, PD 36ZD, FPR 2010, 36Z and FPR 2010, PD 36ZA.

The second Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010) Practice Direction (PD) update of 2024 has been issued, adding two new Practice Directions and a new Form FM5 (statement of position on non-court dispute resolution) to FPR 2010, PD 5A. The PD update includes a new FPR 2010, PD 8B (Application by birth parent for declaration of parentage in respect of an adopted child) in force from 8 April 2024 and a new FPR 2010, PD 41F (Proceeding by electronic means: placement proceedings) in force from 1 April 2024.

The third Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010) Practice Direction update of 2024 was issued on 1 May 2024, introducing a new FPR 2010, PD 2D which sets out the functions of the High Court which may be carried out by a legally qualified court officer. It supplements FPR 2010, SI 2010/2955, r 2.5(1B)-(1C) (power to perform functions conferred on the court by these rules and practice directions). FPR 2010, PD 2D is inserted after FPR 2010, PD 2C and came into force on 17 April 2024.

The first Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010) Practice Direction (PD) update of 2025 has been issued, making amendments to five existing PDs and inserting one new pilot PD. A new FPR 2010, PD 36ZH (Pilot scheme: express financial remedy procedure) has been introduced for financial remedy cases where the parties’ total combined net assets are estimated to be under £250,000 (excluding pensions) and the application is made to a pilot court. The intention is to launch the pilot on 7 April 2025. The PD update makes provision for a permission application following an order under section 91(14) of the Children Act 1989 (ChA 1989) to be made on a Form C100, or online equivalent (rather than requiring a Form C2 and a draft Form C100). The pathfinder pilot is amended to provide for the pathfinder model to operate in courts in West Yorkshire from 3 June 2025. FPR 2010, PD 36G, underpinning HM Courts and Tribunal Service’s online system to generate a Form C100 application, the mediation voucher scheme and the online private law proceedings pilots have all been extended to 31 March 2026.

The fourth Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010) Practice Direction (PD) update of 2024 has been issued, adding a new FPR 2010, PD 36ZG (Part 3 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021: provision during piloted commencement) providing for the Family Court procedure to be used during the piloted commencement of the new domestic abuse protection order (DAPO). FPR 2010, PD 36ZG supplements FPR 2010, r 36.2A.

How to use this index This Practice Note provides an index and links to Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI 2010/2955, the main procedural rules that apply to family proceedings, plus all supporting Practice Directions. Click on the 'Table of Contents' tab on the left-hand side of the screen which will then expand to display all Parts to the FPR 2010 and the associated Practice Directions for each Part. To access FPR 2010, click on the margin note to the right of the text for the relevant Part or Practice Direction you wish to view. When viewing a Part within FPR 2010, click on the 'Table of Contents' tab on the left-hand side of the screen to expand the Part to display all the rules in that Part and enable you to navigate to the provision you are interested in. The Table of Contents tab within FPR 2010 also lists all other Parts of FPR 2010 and individual rules can be navigated to by clicking on each Part. For information about recently completed or expired

The Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010) set out the universal practice for the preparation of bundles for hearings in the Family Court and the Family Division of the High Court in FPR 2010, PD 27A. As noted, FPR 2010, PD 27A, para 5.2 provides that: ‘All documents in the bundle (including statements, affidavits, care plans and experts’ reports and other reports) shall (a) in the case of a paper bundle be copied on one side of paper only, unless the court has specifically directed otherwise, (b) be divided by the author into numbered paragraphs

HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has issued release notes for legal representatives and local authorities regarding provision for counsel to be able to remove themselves from a case, rather than being reliant on local authorities or legal representatives to do so when counsel is no longer instructed, and in relation to the introduction of a feature that allows local authorities or solicitors to select the PBA number link to their organisation from a dropdown menu, removing the need to manually enter the number in a free text box. In addition, release notes have been issued as to changes to the child’s details section in Form C110a.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has confirmed that following the release on 28 August 2025 of a dropdown feature for Payment by Account (PBA) (see LNB News 21/08/2025 1), it has received reports that some organisations were unable to locate their PBA number in the dropdown, which prevented them from submitting applications. As a result, HMCTS has made the decision to roll back the release to allow time for further investigation and the feature will be re-released on 2 October 2025.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) FPL service team have confirmed that a new query management feature will be launching on the FPL service on 12 November 2025. This feature is part of a wider HMCTS initiative to bring consistency to all digital services. It aims to reduce reliance on email communication and introduces a new way for professional users to communicate directly with the HMCTS FPL administrative team within the digital case file itself.

The HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) FPL service team commissioned user research to understand how the Form C110a application journey may be improved. The design changes are being released in stages, with a release note to accompany each change. As part of the user research, the judiciary requested that case names be standardised and a standardised naming convention has been approved by the FPL judicial working group with a release date of 28 August 2025.