A jury summons for a court in Northern Ireland is a court instruction. If you are an employee, your employer must allow you to attend, but does not have to continue your salary. The Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service (NICTS) has a separate claim for eligible travel, meals and financial loss. England and Wales use different claim forms, deadlines and limits; see the England and Wales Jury Service guide only if your summons is for a court there.
Scotland also has its own citation and expense system. If your citation is from a Scottish court, use the Scotland Jury Service guide instead of applying NI allowance rules.
Jury attendance and listed civic duties have different workplace rules. For an NI public office or public-body role, see the separate UK public duties time-off guide, which explains Article 78, reasonable time off and the absence of a statutory pay guarantee.
Jury service is different from emergency leave for someone who depends on you. If an unexpected family or care emergency happens, check the separate UK Time Off for Dependants guide and use the rules for the nation where you work.
Tell your employer immediately
Your normal wages are not guaranteed
Claim within 14 days after service ends
Check the summons and whether you can serve
In Northern Ireland, people aged 18 or over can be called for jury service. There is no automatic exemption based on age, although a person over 70 can ask to be excused. Some jobs, criminal-history circumstances and other legal grounds make a person ineligible or disqualified; other situations can support an excusal request. The categories are detailed, so check the official NI exemptions list rather than assuming that a job or personal circumstance automatically excuses you.
If selected, the summons normally arrives between 10 days and four weeks before the first court date. It is for the named person and cannot be transferred. Read it promptly, follow its return instructions, and use your jury-panel number in correspondence. If your circumstances have changed, tell the Juries Officer and send the summons with an explanation.
Ask for a deferral or excusal if you cannot attend
If you cannot attend on the assigned dates, complete Part II of the summons and send supporting evidence. A request is not approval: the court decides whether to defer or excuse you. The Customer Service Centre handles requests until one week before attendance; within the final seven days, send the request to the court office listed on the summons.
If your employer believes your absence would seriously harm the business, nidirect says the employer can provide a letter on headed paper or with the business stamp explaining the impact for the court to consider. The court may still require you to attend. Do not treat an employer’s letter or a request for deferral as a confirmed change to your summons.
Tell your employer and agree how wages will be handled
Show the employer your summons immediately. Tell them the service start date and, if known, how long the judge expects the trial to last. Ask whether they will continue your salary and whether payroll needs an employer certificate for a court financial-loss claim. Keep a copy of the summons, your notice and the employer’s pay decision.
The employer must allow an employee time away for jury service, but is not required to pay wages during the absence. An employee should not be treated unfairly or dismissed for attending. If the employer is concerned about serious business harm, use the court’s deferral process described above rather than missing attendance without approval.
How long service may last
A jury panel is usually in place for about four weeks, but you may not be selected for a trial and an individual trial can last longer. Your summons gives the first date and court. Before travelling, check the Juryline or the NICTS jury-panel information from 5pm on the evening before; the date or time can change and not every panel member may be needed.
Claim court allowances for eligible costs
NICTS allows claims for travel, meals and qualifying financial loss. These are court allowances, not a separate Social Security benefit, and they do not automatically replace your full wages. Keep receipts and use the current Jury Expense Form. The published guide currently lists:
Scroll horizontally or use the arrow keys to view all columns.
| Claim type | Published limit or evidence |
|---|---|
| Travel | Actual eligible bus, train and parking costs with receipts; car mileage is listed at £0.257 per mile. Taxi costs need the Juries Officer’s permission in advance and are limited to stated circumstances. |
| Meals | If away from home or work for more than five hours, claim actual spend with receipts up to £5.71 for more than five but less than 10 hours, or £12.17 for longer than 10 hours. |
| Financial loss, first 10 service days | Up to £32.47 per day for less than four hours at court or £64.95 for more than four hours. |
| Financial loss, from day 11 | Up to £64.95 per day for less than four hours at court or £129.91 for more than four hours. |
These are limits, not automatic payments: NICTS considers the hours at court, actual employment loss, the number of missed work hours and days, receipts and supporting evidence. The published table does not state how it classifies exactly four hours; ask NICTS before relying on a figure for that day. Childcare may count as financial loss, but childcare and other loss claims together cannot exceed the daily financial-loss limit.
Submit the form on time
Send the signed and dated claim form with receipts within 14 days after your jury service ends. If claiming lost earnings as an employee, include the employer-completed certificate. If self-employed, the nidirect page gives examples such as an accountant’s letter or a tax return as evidence of financial loss. Include your name, juror number and the court attended if you send receipts separately. NICTS says it pays after checking a correctly completed claim; provide bank details for direct payment or the court may send a cheque.
A practical summons-to-claim sequence
- 1Check that the summons names you, confirm the Northern Ireland court and dates, and review the official exemptions guidance if your eligibility or circumstances are unclear.
- 2If you cannot attend, complete Part II, attach evidence and send a deferral or excusal request to the correct office. Wait for a written decision.
- 3Show the summons to your employer immediately. Confirm in writing whether wages continue and whether an employer certificate will be completed.
- 4Check Juryline or the NICTS panel information from 5pm the evening before attendance; keep receipts and evidence during service.
- 5Return the signed Jury Expense Form and evidence within 14 days after service ends. Keep a copy and contact NICTS if the form or an allowance decision is unclear.