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If you get a jury summons in the post, you must respond within 7 days and confirm if you can attend.

Your name was chosen randomly from the electoral register.

You鈥檒l be part of a jury of 12 people to decide the outcome of a criminal trial.

You can watch a . There鈥檚 also a .

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

How long jury service lasts

Jury service usually lasts up to 10 working days.

If the trial is likely to last longer than 10 days, jury staff will let you know. If the trial is shorter than 10 days, you may be asked to be a juror on other trials.

You鈥檒l usually need to be at court from 10am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday, but times can vary.

You鈥檒l need to arrive at court earlier on your first day. Check your summons letter for the exact time.

What you can claim

You will not be paid for doing jury service, but you can claim some money back if you lose earnings. You can also claim some expenses, for example travel.

Find out what you can claim:

• if you鈥檙e an employee
• if you鈥檙e self-employed
• if you鈥檙e not working

You will not be paid for doing jury service, but you can claim some money back if your earnings are affected. For each day you鈥檙e at court, you can usually claim:

• up to 拢64.95 to help cover your loss of earnings and the cost of any care or childcare outside of your usual arrangements
• 拢5.71 for food and drink
• the cost of travel to and from court

You鈥檒l be told how to claim expenses after your jury service has ended.

Taking time off work

Give a copy of your jury summons to your employer.

Your employer must let you have time off work, but can ask you to delay your jury service if your absence will have a serious effect on their business.

Problems with your employer

If you鈥檙e not allowed to take time off work for jury service, you can complain to an employment tribunal.

If you鈥檙e sacked because you do jury service you may be able to claim unfair dismissal.

Getting paid during jury service

Your employer can choose whether or not to pay you during your service.

If they do not pay you, you can claim for loss of earnings from the court.

If you get benefits or financial support

Show your jury summons to your benefit office or work coach as soon as you get it.

You鈥檒l continue to get financial support and benefits (such as Universal Credit) for the first 8 weeks. After that, the court will give you a loss of earnings form to give to your benefit office or work coach.

What you can claim

There鈥檚 a limit to how much you can claim for each day you鈥檙e at court.

Loss of earnings, childcare and other care costs

How much you can claim to cover loss of earnings and care costs depends on the length of your jury service and how many hours you spend at court each day.

For the first 10 days of jury service, you can claim up to:

• 拢64.95 a day if you spend more than 4 hours at court
• 拢32.47 a day if you spend 4 hours or less at court

If your jury service lasts longer than 10 working days, the amount you can claim increases. You鈥檒l be able to claim up to:

• 拢129.91 a day if you spend more than 4 hours at court
• 拢64.95 a day if you spend 4 hours or less at court

Travel and parking costs

How much you can claim depends on how you travel to court.

Food and drink

How much you can claim depends on how many hours you spend in court each day.

Estimate your expenses

You can .

You will not be paid for doing jury service, but you can claim some money back if your earnings are affected. For each day you鈥檙e at court, you can usually claim:

• up to 拢64.95 to help cover your loss of earnings and the cost of any care or childcare outside of your usual arrangements
• 拢5.71 for food and drink
• the cost of travel to and from court

You鈥檒l be told how to claim expenses after your jury service has ended.

You can ask to delay your jury service if you cannot do jury service on the dates in your summons letter.

If you get benefits or financial support

Show your jury summons to your benefit office or work coach as soon as you get it.

You鈥檒l continue to get financial support and benefits (such as Universal Credit) for the first 8 weeks. After that, the court will give you a loss of earnings form to give to your benefit office or work coach.

What you can claim

There鈥檚 a limit to how much you can claim for each day you鈥檙e at court.

Loss of earnings, childcare and other care costs

How much you can claim to cover loss of earnings and care costs depends on the length of your jury service and how many hours you spend at court each day.

For the first 10 days of jury service, you can claim up to:

• 拢64.95 a day if you spend more than 4 hours at court
• 拢32.47 a day if you spend 4 hours or less at court

If your jury service lasts longer than 10 working days, the amount you can claim increases. You鈥檒l be able to claim up to:

• 拢129.91 a day if you spend more than 4 hours at court
• 拢64.95 a day if you spend 4 hours or less at court

Travel and parking costs

How much you can claim depends on how you travel to court.

Food and drink

How much you can claim depends on how many hours you spend in court each day.

Estimate your expenses

You can .

You will not be paid for doing jury service, but you can claim some money back if your earnings are affected. For each day you鈥檙e at court, you can usually claim:

• up to 拢64.95 to help cover your loss of earnings and the cost of any care or childcare outside of your usual arrangements
• 拢5.71 for food and drink
• the cost of travel to and from court

You鈥檒l be told how to claim expenses after your jury service has ended.

You can ask to delay your jury service if you cannot do jury service on the dates in your summons letter.

If you get benefits or financial support

Show your jury summons to your benefit office or work coach as soon as you get it.

You鈥檒l continue to get financial support and benefits (such as Universal Credit) for the first 8 weeks. After that, the court will give you a loss of earnings form to give to your benefit office or work coach.

What you can claim

There鈥檚 a limit to how much you can claim for each day you鈥檙e at court.

Childcare and other care costs if you are not working

How much you can claim to cover care costs depends on the length of your jury service and how many hours you spend at court each day.

For the first 10 days of jury service, you can claim up to:

• 拢64.95 a day if you spend more than 4 hours at court
• 拢32.47 a day if you spend 4 hours or less at court

If your jury service lasts longer than 10 working days, the amount you can claim increases. You鈥檒l be able to claim up to:

• 拢129.91 a day if you spend more than 4 hours at court
• 拢64.95 a day if you spend 4 hours or less at court

Travel and parking costs

How much you can claim depends on how you travel to court.

Food and drink

How much you can claim depends on how many hours you spend in court each day.

Estimate your expenses

You can .

If you cannot do jury service on the dates in your summons letter, you can ask to change the date or be excused.

Ask to change the date of your jury service

You might be able to change the date of your jury service to another date within the next 12 months. You鈥檒l need a good reason, for example:

• you鈥檙e having an operation
• you鈥檙e sitting an exam
• your employer will not give you time off work
• you have a holiday booked
• you鈥檙e a new parent

You can only ask to change the date once.

To change the date, reply to your jury summons explaining your reasons in detail. When you reply you can suggest 3 possible dates in the next 12 months that work for you.

Ask to be excused from jury service

If it鈥檚 not possible for you to do jury service in the next 12 months, you can ask to be excused. You鈥檒l only be allowed to do this in exceptional circumstances, for example:

• you have a serious illness or disability that prevents you from doing jury service
• you鈥檙e a full time carer of someone with an illness or disability
• you鈥檙e a new parent and will not be able to serve at any other time in the next 12 months

You can also ask to be excused from jury service if you鈥檝e done it in the last 2 years.

If you do not do jury service this time, you could still receive a summons in the future.

To ask to be excused, reply to your jury summons explaining your reasons in detail. You might need to give proof, for example, if you鈥檙e ill you might be asked for a letter from your doctor.

If your request is turned down, you can still ask to change the date of your jury service.

If you disagree with the decision

You can appeal if your request to change the date of your jury service or be excused is refused. Write to the Jury Central Summoning Bureau, including:

• why you disagree with the decision
• your juror number (this is on your summons letter)
• your name and address
• your date of birth
• the name and address of the court you鈥檝e been summoned to
• the dates of your jury service

Get help

Contact the Jury Central Summoning Bureau if you have questions about jury service.

If you have a disability or physical or mental health condition, courts can make reasonable adjustments to help you when serving on a jury.

Adjustments can include:

• ramps

• access to accessible toilets

• a hearing loop

• guidance in alternative formats, such as large print, audio or braille

• a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter

Request the help you鈥檒l need when you reply to your jury summons.

If you鈥檇 like to discuss your needs or arrange a visit to the court, you can contact the Jury Central Summoning Bureau up to a week before your jury service begins.

If your jury service begins in less than a week, you should contact the court to discuss adjustments.

If you鈥檙e already at court for jury service and need adjustments, speak to the jury officer.

You must respond to your jury summons within 7 days of getting it.

You can either:

• reply to the jury summons online
• complete and return the form by post

After you respond

The Jury Central Summoning Bureau will send you a letter to confirm details of your jury service, including when and where it will take place.

If you asked to change the date or to be excused, the letter will explain if your request was accepted.

You鈥檒l need to bring your summons or confirmation letter to court with you on your first day of jury service.

Get help

Contact the Jury Central Summoning Bureau if you have questions about jury service or about a decision.

The Jury Central Summoning Bureau may be able to change the location of your jury service if you鈥檝e been summoned to a court far from where you live. For example, if you鈥檝e recently moved house or if you鈥檙e at university and you鈥檝e been summoned to a court near your family home.

Contact the court if you:

• need directions
• have a question about your expenses claim

On your first day, you should bring:

• your jury summons form or your jury service confirmation letter
• some identification, such as your passport, photo driving licence or Home Office documents showing your UK immigration status

If you do not have identification, you can bring any 2 documents from the following:

• your birth certificate
• your credit card with 3 statements and proof of signature
• your cheque book and bank card with 3 statements and proof of signature
• 3 utility bills showing your name and address

Laptops, tablets and mobile phones

You can bring your mobile phone, tablet or laptop into the court building and use it in the jury assembly area.

You cannot take your phone, laptop or tablet into the deliberation room. All courts have lockers or somewhere you can safely store your personal items.

There is free wifi in most courts.

What to wear

There is no strict dress code and you can wear clothes you鈥檙e comfortable in, such as jeans and a t-shirt.

You cannot wear:

• very casual clothing, such as beachwear
• anything on your head, unless it is for religious reasons

What will happen when you arrive at court

Allow extra time to go through security at court.

Court staff will show you where the jury assembly area is and the jury manager will:

• tell you about jury service
• explain your responsibilities
• tell you what expenses you can claim and how to claim them

Do not discuss the trial with anyone until it鈥檚 finished, except with other jury members in the deliberation room.

After the trial you must not talk about what happened in the deliberation room, even with family members. You can talk about what happened in the courtroom.

If anyone approaches you about the trial

Tell a court officer if you鈥檙e approached about the trial. If you鈥檙e approached outside court, tell a police officer.

If you find the trial distressing

You may be upset by the trial and want to speak to someone privately. Speak to court staff - they鈥檒l give you advice.

For emotional support speak to your GP to find out what support is available. You can also - although they cannot give advice.

Make your claim for expenses at the end of your jury service - and no more than 12 months after your jury service started.

You鈥檒l usually be paid 7 to 10 working days after submitting your claim form.

Food, drink and travel expenses

Fill in the claim form you received at the start of jury service. Return it to the court with the relevant receipts.

Loss of earnings

What you need to do depends on whether you are employed or self-employed.

If you鈥檙e an employee

Your employer needs to fill in a loss of earnings form if they鈥檝e told you they are not going to pay you during jury service. Bring it to court on your first day of jury service.

If you鈥檙e self-employed

Fill in a self-employed loss of earnings form. You鈥檒l need to include evidence of lost earnings, such as your most recent tax return.

Care and childcare expenses

You and the carer need to fill in the care expenses form to claim for costs outside of your usual care arrangements.

If you鈥檙e using a registered childminder, they need to write their Ofsted number on the form. If a family member or friend is looking after your children, they must write a letter saying how many hours they鈥檝e cared for your child.

Bring your child鈥檚 birth certificate or passport to court during your service or attach a copy to the claim form.

Return the form to the court with evidence of the cost of care, for example invoices or receipts.

Questions about expenses

Contact the court where you did jury service if you have questions about expenses.