Private law data
Private law demand is generally used to refer to applications made following a divorce or separation about the arrangements for children, such as where a child will live or with whom a child will spend time.
Note: Cafcass private law demand statistics are published on the tenth working day of each month. Figures are provided from our national databases, the current electronic case management system (ECMS) and historical case management system (CMS). In private law the unit of measurement is a case (note a case can involve multiple children and multiple application types). These are counted upon receipt of the application from the court and entry into the database. The ECMS is a live system and any late entries will be accounted for upon the release of subsequent updates to this data.
If you have any queries about the private law statistics, please contact us via our website form.
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Monthly statistics
The number of private law applications received per month nationally can be seen in the table below.
Latest release: We received 34,479 new private law cases from April to December 2019, which is 1,897 cases (5.8%) more than the same period in 2018. These cases involved 51,676 children, which is 1,975 (4.0%) more children than April to December 2018.
You can download December 2019 Private law demand, which contains the latest official statistics for private law demand.
Private law cases received
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
2019-20
Cases
Children
Cases
Children
Cases
Children
Cases
Children
Apr 3,465
5,172
3,132
4,704
3,463
5,232
3,621
5,454
May 3,168
4,772
3,626
5,521
3,633
5,598
3,857
5,930
Jun 3,481
5,252
3,814
5,777
3,387
5,139
3,630
5,557
Jul 3,372
5,070
3,614
5,434
3,683
5,717
4,270
6,498
Aug 3,436
5,214
3,640
5,487
3,946
5,994
3,755
5,762
Sep 3,494
5,236
3,549
5,494
3,430
5,212
3,740
5,750
Oct 3,377
5,102
3,813
5,800
3,979
6,027
4,316
6,557
Nov 3,491
5,241
3,744
5,715
4,016
6,059
4,006
6,128
Dec 2,841
4,300
2,741 4,148 3,045 4,723 3,284 4,040 Jan 3,240
4,896
3,504 5,287 3,559 5,453 Feb 3,329
4,995
3,086 4,716 3,634 5,559 Mar 3,810
5,691
3,526 5,400 4,072 6,138 Total 40,504
60,941
41,789
63,483
43,847
66,851
34,479
51,676
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Annual summaries
April 2018 – March 2019
- Between April 2018 and March 2019 Cafcass received a total of 43,847 new private law cases.
- This figure shows a 4.9% increase compared with the previous financial year.
April 2017 – March 2018
- Between April 2017 and March 2018 Cafcass received a total of 41,789 new private law cases.
- This figure shows a 3.1% increase compared with the previous financial year.
April 2016 – March 2017
- Between April 2016 and March 2017 Cafcass received a total of 40,536 new private law cases.
- This figure shows an 8.3% increase compared with the previous financial year.
April 2015 – March 2016
- Between April 2015 and March 2016 Cafcass received a total of 37,415 new private law cases.
- This figure shows a 10% increase compared with the previous financial year.
April 2014 – March 2015
- Between April 2014 and March 2015 Cafcass received a total of 34,119 new private law cases.
- This figure shows a 27% decrease compared with the previous financial year.