In this section: Hold them to account
Court fines: imposed, collected and outstanding
Last updated . Figures refresh every night. How each figure is worked out.
Courts in England and Wales imposed £341m of fines in 2025–26 and collected £229m, including payments on older fines. The unpaid balance reached £1.2bn, +£104m (+9.1%) on a year earlier. Fines are paid into the Consolidated Fund by law, though the Ministry of Justice keeps most of what it collects.
Figure as of 22 September 2026. Source: HM Courts and Tribunals Service.
Key figures
- £341mCourt fines imposed, England and Wales up on a year earlier: +£25m (+7.7%) vs 2024–25
- £229mCourt fines collected up on a year earlier: +£1m (+0.2%) vs 2024–25
- £1,243mCourt fines outstanding at year end up on a year earlier: +£104m (+9.1%) vs 2024–25
- £5,198mAll court-ordered sums outstanding up on a year earlier: +£493m (+10.5%) vs 2024–25
- £233mFine income kept by the Ministry of Justice up on a year earlier: +£1m (+0.6%) vs 2024–25
Source: HM Courts and Tribunals Service.
How much is imposed, collected and outstanding?
Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source: HM Courts and Tribunals Service. Checked by hand 22 September 2026.
Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source: HM Courts and Tribunals Service. Checked by hand 22 September 2026.
Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source: HM Courts and Tribunals Service. Checked by hand 22 September 2026.
Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source: HM Courts and Tribunals Service. Checked by hand 22 September 2026.
Why fines imposed and collected were much higher in 2021-22 and 2022-23: the Trust Statement does not say, so the fall is shown without an explanation.
The numbers behind this chart
| Year | Imposed | Collected | Outstanding at year end |
|---|---|---|---|
2021–22Details for 2021–22 | £747m | £640m | £893m |
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2022–23Details for 2022–23 | £498m | £401m | £977m |
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2023–24Details for 2023–24 | £348m | £251m | £1,064m |
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2024–25Details for 2024–25 | £317m | £229m | £1,139m |
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2025–26Details for 2025–26 | £341m | £229m | £1,243m |
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Figure as of 22 September 2026. Source: HM Courts and Tribunals Service.
HMCTS does not publish an annual collection rate, because fines are paid over years. Its measure is that about 80% of what is imposed has been collected by the time the debt is five years old.
Checked 22 September 2026. Source: HM Courts and Tribunals Service. Checked by hand 22 September 2026.
How does a court set a fine?
Magistrates start from one of six bands, each a percentage of the offender's weekly income after tax, then adjust for aggravating and mitigating factors. Each offence also has a legal maximum on the standard scale.
| Band | Starting point, % of weekly income | Range |
|---|---|---|
ADetails for A | 50% | 25-75% |
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BDetails for B | 100% | 75-125% |
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CDetails for C | 150% | 125-175% |
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DDetails for D | 250% | 200-300% |
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EDetails for E | 400% | 300-500% |
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FDetails for F | 600% | 500-700% |
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| Level | Maximum |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | £200 |
| Level 2 | £500 |
| Level 3 | £1,000 |
| Level 4 | £2,500 |
| Level 5 | Unlimited (since March 2015) |
A victim surcharge of 40% of the fine, up to £2,000 is added to fines for offences since 16 June 2022. £115m was imposed in 2025–26. It goes to the Victim and Witness General Fund, for victims' services.
Where does the money go?
Court fines (England and Wales)
Consolidated Fund (general Treasury funds) the Consolidated Fund by law. In practice the Ministry of Justice keeps most of what it collects as part of its spending settlement.
Courts Act 2003, s38; Sentencing Act 2020, s132(6) for Crown Court fines
Any sums received by the Lord Chancellor under this section are to be paid by him into the Consolidated Fund.
Victim surcharge
Paid to a named body the Ministry of Justice, to fund victims' services.
Fines, fixed penalties and forfeitures in Scotland
Consolidated Fund (general Treasury funds) the Scottish Consolidated Fund, with a matching reduction in UK funding for the Scottish Government.
Scotland Act 1998 (Designation of Receipts) (Amendment) Order 2017
Revenue from FFFPs is paid into the Scottish Consolidated Fund (SCF) after being collected by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and other bodies.
Legal position as of 22 September 2026. Source: legislation.gov.uk. Checked by hand 22 September 2026.
In Scotland, 90% of sheriff court fines by value are paid or on track within three years. Share of sheriff court fines, by value, paid or on track to be paid within three years. Justice of the peace courts: 89.5%. Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service.
Are fines working?
The case for fines
- Income-based bands mean the same offence costs a richer offender more.
- Most fine money is eventually collected, given time.
- A fine is far cheaper for the public than a custodial sentence.
The case against
- The unpaid balance has risen every year shown.
- Collection takes years, and some is never recovered.
- For people on very low incomes, fines add to debt without changing behaviour.
Common questions
- Where does court fine money go?
- Into the Consolidated Fund, under section 38 of the Courts Act 2003. The Ministry of Justice keeps most of what it collects as part of its spending settlement.
- What is the victim surcharge?
- An extra 40% of the fine, up to £2,000, added to fines for offences since 16 June 2022, which funds services for victims.
Sources for this page
| Source | Publisher | Figures as of | Updated | Licence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMCTS Trust Statement 2025 to 2026 | HM Courts and Tribunals Service | 22 September 2026 | annual | Open Government Licence v3.0 |
| legislation.gov.uk and official guidance, provision by provision | legislation.gov.uk | 22 September 2026 | annual | Open Government Licence v3.0 (legislation.gov.uk) |
Each source's figures are used under the licence shown. Our own words, analysis, charts and derived calculations are ours, under CC BY 4.0.