Jury Service in England and Wales: Time Off, Pay and Expenses

A jury summons is a court obligation, not a choice of annual leave. If you work in England or Wales, respond to the summons within seven days, tell your employer and agree how your pay will be handled. An employer must allow time off for jury service, but does not have to continue your salary. If your earnings or extra care costs are affected, the court has a separate expense-claim process. Scotland and Northern Ireland use different jury systems and expense rules; this page does not apply there. For a Northern Ireland summons, use the separate NI Jury Service guide for local deferral steps, the 14-day allowance claim and NI court rates.

For a Scottish citation, use the separate Scotland Jury Service guide; SCTS has a different citation and expenses process.

Jury service has a mandatory release rule and court expense process. For a listed civic office or other non-jury public duty, see the separate UK public duties time-off guide, where the employer may refuse a request that is unreasonable and pay is not guaranteed.

Jury service is separate from workplace leave for personal emergencies. If you need time away because of an unexpected event involving someone who depends on you, see the UK Time Off for Dependants guide and follow the rules for the nation where you work.

First check the nation and reply date

This process is for a summons to a court in England or Wales. GOV.UK directs people summoned in Scotland or Northern Ireland to their separate court services. Check the location printed on your summons before using any expense limits or claim instructions.

You must respond within seven days of receiving the summons, online or by completing and returning the form. If you cannot attend on the date given or have a reason to be excused, use the summons process to ask the Jury Central Summoning Bureau. A request is not approved until you receive confirmation. Failing to respond or attend without an accepted reason can result in a fine of up to £1,000.

Tell your employer and plan pay

Give your employer a copy of the summons as soon as you can. They must allow you time off and must not discriminate against you for attending. If your absence would seriously harm the business, the employer can ask you to seek a postponement; GOV.UK says this can be requested once in a 12-month period and the employer should provide a letter explaining the impact. The court, not your employer, decides whether to change the date.

Your employer chooses whether to pay your usual wages during jury service. Ask before service starts, and get the decision in writing if possible. If the employer will not pay, ask them to complete the court’s loss-of-earnings form and take it with you on your first day. Do not assume that court expenses make up your full salary: the court applies daily limits and checks the loss claimed.

What the court may reimburse

For employees, GOV.UK currently publishes a daily limit for combined loss of earnings and care costs. For the first ten days, the maximum is £64.95 if you spend more than four hours at court that day or £32.47 if you spend four hours or less. After ten working days, the maximum rises to £129.91 or £64.95, respectively. The court may reimburse eligible travel and food costs separately within its rules. These are ceilings, not guaranteed daily payments; the amount depends on the time at court, actual loss, receipts and other conditions. Confirm current figures in the official jury expenses guidance and its linked calculator before relying on them.

If your employer continues paying your salary, do not claim the same loss of earnings again. You may still be able to claim eligible travel, food or additional care costs. Extra care costs must be outside your usual arrangements and need the required evidence. Ordinary accommodation costs and travel outside England and Wales are not covered by the published scheme.

Make the claim after service

The court gives you the relevant claim form. For loss of earnings, bring the employer-completed form on your first day if your employer is not paying you. For care costs, use the court form and bring evidence such as receipts or invoices; additional documentation may be required for a registered childminder or an informal carer. Keep copies of forms and receipts.

Submit expense claims after jury service ends and within 12 months of the service start date. GOV.UK says payment usually arrives 7 to 10 working days after the claim form is submitted. If the trial is long or you are experiencing financial hardship, ask jury staff whether expenses can be paid during the trial.

If you receive benefits or financial support

Show the summons to your benefit office or Universal Credit work coach as soon as you receive it. GOV.UK says financial support and benefits such as Universal Credit continue for the first eight weeks. If jury service lasts longer, the court provides a loss-of-earnings form for your benefit office or work coach. Tell the relevant office about your actual circumstances and follow its instructions; this guide does not calculate benefit entitlement or deductions.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• GOV.UK: Jury service — overview
• GOV.UK: Respond to a jury summons
• GOV.UK: What employees can claim
• GOV.UK: How to claim jury-service expenses
• GOV.UK: Giving staff time off for jury service
• GOV.UK: Paying staff on jury service
• GOV.UK: Delay or be excused from jury service

Check the summons and current official court guidance before acting. This guide summarises the England and Wales process; it does not determine an individual’s court expense claim, employment dispute or benefit award.