Starting a new business? Get 40% off our accountancy services for 3 months! 😎

x

Over 400,000 people perform jury service in the UK every year and, unless you work in law enforcement, it’s almost always compulsory.

Because jury service is mandatory your employer must give you time off to attend, although they don’t actually have to pay you during it. Rather than simply not getting paid, you can ask your employer to complete a Certificate of Loss of Earnings, and hand it in on your first day of court to reclaim the lost earnings.

You can claim loss of earnings from the court whether you work for yourself or someone else.

Do I have to do jury service if I’m self-employed?

Yes, you still need to carry out your jury service when called to do so, even if you’re self-employed and it means turning down work. You’ll receive a letter in advance from the Jury Central Summoning Bureau telling you when and where your jury service will take place.

The letter is normally sent out well in advance so if you do work for yourself, you’ll normally have enough time to let your clients know, and rearrange any existing plans or work. It may also help to contact your clients and warn them there may be delays, or that you might be out of contact for hours at a time whilst the court is sitting.

Can I postpone my jury duty?

You can apply to defer jury duty, though you’re only able to do this once. You’ll need to provide evidence (and a jolly good reason – they’re strict) explaining why you’re not able to complete your jury service. For instance, because you have contractual commitments to meet a deadline for a client. Your application must also supply alternative dates for the following 12 months.
 

Sole Trader accountancy services

From only £24.50 per month

Learn more

Can I reclaim lost earnings for jury service if I’m self-employed?

Yes, you can normally reclaim at least some of your lost self-employment earnings, although you’ll need to provide the court with proof of your expected income. You can show evidence of this using several methods, such as:

Hand any evidence of earnings in to the usher on your first day of court (and keep a copy for yourself!).

Is there a limit on what I can claim?

Unfortunately, yes. For each day that you attend you can normally claim up to a maximum of £64.95 in order to cover the loss of your earnings, and the cost of any additional care arrangements you need to make as a result being in court.

Can I claim any other expenses for jury service?

You can claim a daily food and drink allowance of up to £5.71, as well as the cost of travelling to and from the court whilst taking part in jury service duties. If you’re driving yourself, some courts might stipulate which car parks you can use (meaning they might only reimburse you up to a maximum amount if there’s a cheaper car park they’d prefer you to use).

Do I need to show jury service payments on my tax return?

If you receive a loss of earnings payment from the court then yes, you’ll need to show this on your tax return as part of your income. You won’t need to declare money you receive for your food and drink allowance, because this is paid to reimburse your expenses.

 
Learn more about our online accounting services for small businesses. Call 020 3355 4047 for a chat with the team, or get an instant online quote.

About The Author

Elizabeth Hughes

A content writer specialising in business, finance, software, and beyond. I'm a wordsmith with a penchant for puns and making complex subjects accessible. Learn more about Elizabeth.

More posts by this author
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Hayley Pope
Hayley Pope
19th September 2017 11:32 am

If I earn a different amount each day, how much do I write down in the “I earn ___ per day”?

Read more posts...

Staff Spotlight: Chris Long, Accounts Junior

Give an overview of the duties, functions and responsibilities of your job. Completing annual accounts, tax returns and VAT returns for clients….

Read More

September 2024 Client of the Month: Amplify Brand Consultancy

This month we spoke to Alex, the owner of Amplify Brand Consultancy! Amplify Brand Consultancy | LinkedIn Hey Alex! Tell us about your…

Read More

What is S455 Tax?

If you have your own limited company, you may be aware of director’s loans already, where company directors lend money to the…

Read More
Back to Blog...

Confirm Transactions

The number of monthly transactions you have entered based on your turnover seem high. A transaction is one bookkeeping entry such as a sale, purchase, payment or receipt. Are you sure this is correct?

Yes, submit my quote
No, let me change it

Please contact our sales team if you’re unsure

VAT Returns

It is unlikely you will need this service, unless you are voluntarily registered for VAT.

Are you sure this is correct?

Yes, the business is VAT registered
No, let me change it

Call us on 020 3355 4047 if you’re not sure.

Bookkeeping

You will receive our bookkeeping software Pandle for free, as part of your package.

You can use this to complete your own bookkeeping, or we can provide a quote to complete your bookkeeping for you.

Please select and option below:

I will do my own bookkeeping
I want you to do my bookkeeping

Call us on 020 3355 4047 if you’re not sure.