What happens if I get a jury summons?

For people selected at random to serve on a jury.

Applies to: England, Wales Last checked against official sources: 6 October 2026

You must reply within 7 days to confirm if you can attend. Jury service usually lasts up to 10 working days, typically 10am to 5:30pm on weekdays.

You were chosen at random from the electoral register.
You won't be paid, but can claim for lost earnings and some expenses, like travel.
You can ask to change the date or be excused.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have different rules.

Different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Rules may be different in:

Scotland: Check mygov.scot for Scotland
Northern Ireland: Check nidirect for Northern Ireland

Key facts

Reply within 7 days
Usually 10 working days
Claim lost earnings

Reply within 7 days

You must respond to a jury summons within 7 days of getting it, even if you think you cannot serve or are not eligible. You can reply online or fill in the form and post it back. You can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not return the form or do not turn up.

Who can be a juror

You must:

be aged 18 to 75 on the day jury service starts
be registered to vote
have lived in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man for at least 5 years in a row since the age of 13

You cannot serve if you:

are on bail
have had a prison sentence, detention order, suspended sentence or community sentence in the last 10 years
have ever had a prison sentence or detention order of 5 years or more
are currently sectioned under the Mental Health Act, or lack the mental capacity to serve

What jury service involves

You sit on a jury of 12 people who decide the outcome of a criminal trial. Service usually lasts up to 10 working days. Court hours are usually 10am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday, but you may need to arrive earlier on your first day.

Your employer must give you time off. They do not have to pay you while you are away.

What you can claim

You are not paid for jury service, but you can claim back lost earnings and some expenses. These are the limits for employees.

Loss of earnings	4 hours or less at court	More than 4 hours
Days 1 to 10	£32.47 a day	£64.95 a day
From day 11	£64.95 a day	£129.91 a day

Expense	Amount
Car or motorbike	31.4p a mile
Bicycle	9.6p a mile
One passenger in your car	4.2p a mile
Each extra passenger	3.2p a mile
Food and drink, up to 10 hours a day	£5.71
Food and drink, over 10 hours a day	£12.17

If you are not working, you can usually claim up to £64.95 a day to cover lost earnings and extra care or childcare costs, plus travel and food. Benefits such as Universal Credit continue for the first 8 weeks.

Example

You serve for 10 full days and lose more than £64.95 a day in pay. You can claim the maximum: 10 x £64.95 = £649.50. You also drive 20 miles a day there and back: 20 x 31.4p = £6.28 a day, or £62.80 over 10 days.

Changing the date or being excused

Changing the date: you can ask once to move it to another date within the next 12 months, for example because of an operation, exams, a holiday or a new baby. Suggest 3 dates that work for you.
Being excused: only in exceptional cases, such as serious illness, being a full-time carer, or living outside England and Wales. You can also ask if you have done jury service in the last 2 years.

Explain your reasons when you reply, with evidence such as a medical letter. If you are refused, you can appeal by writing to the Jury Central Summoning Bureau.

If you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland

Jury service works differently in Scotland and Northern Ireland. This guide covers England and Wales.

Related guides

Where these figures come from

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

Respond to your summons

Common questions

Do you get paid for jury service?

You are not paid for jury service and your employer can choose whether to pay you. If they do not, you can claim up to £64.95 a day for lost earnings for the first 10 days if you spend more than 4 hours at court.

Can my employer stop me doing jury service?

No, your employer must give you time off, but they can ask for it to be delayed if your absence would harm the business. They cannot dismiss you for going on jury service.

Can I get out of jury service?

You can ask to change the date once, to a date within the next 12 months. You can only be excused in exceptional circumstances, or if you have done jury service in the last 2 years.

What happens if I ignore a jury summons?

You must reply within 7 days of getting your summons. You can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not return the form or do not turn up.

Official sources

1.Jury servicewww.gov.uk/jury-service
2.Jury service: what you can claim if you're an employeewww.gov.uk/jury-service/what-you-can-claim-if-youre-an-employee
3.Jury service: ask to change the date or be excusedwww.gov.uk/jury-service/delaying-or-being-excused-from-jury-service
4.Giving staff time off for jury servicewww.gov.uk/giving-staff-time-off-jury-service
5.Jury service: respond to the summonswww.gov.uk/jury-service/respond-to-the-summons

Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026

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