When we launched MyHMCTS in early 2020, little did we realise how important it would prove to be. The service offered, for the first time, the ability for legal professionals to make and manage applications online across a range of services in tribunals and in the civil and family jurisdictions.
At the start of 2020, divorce, probate and financial remedy services were all live on MyHMCTS and we soon added immigration and asylum and family public law services to our offering.
As we approach the first anniversary of its launch, I want to take a moment to reflect on the developments we’ve made to MyHMCTS in the past 12 months to improve the service for our users and look forward to what is left to do during 2021.
Why MyHMCTS has made a difference to users
When COVID-19 hit the UK and millions of people started working from the kitchen table, the benefits of digital working became even more obvious. MyHMCTS offered a flexible, modern and convenient way for professionals to manage applications online, just when demand for remote ways of working went up.
MyHMCTS has supported solicitors and other legal professionals to keep working during lockdowns, shielding, self-isolation or caring commitments. Our users haven’t had to rely on postal services either or needed to call or email a court to ask for an update.
Which additional services are available on MyHMCTS?
During 2020, we improved the overall performance and usability of MyHMCTS and added new services such as multi-factor authentication to keep the system secure.
We also added the ability for an applicant to share a financial remedy or family public law case with someone else from their firm. We’ll be rolling this out to other types of case, as well as exploring how we can enable sharing with others outside applicants’ immediate firm.
Online respondents
In spring 2021, respondents in divorce and financial remedy cases will, for the first time, be able to access and respond to an application online, making the service digital for all parties in the case.
Notice of change
We’re developing a ‘notice of change’ function as, currently, some cases that start off digitally must then switch to paper because parties in a case might make certain changes. This function will allow professional users to notify us when they have been instructed to act on behalf of a party and they will then be able to manage that case digitally.
MyHMCTS support in the future
We will continue to improve the support available to professionals using MyHMCTS. And we are planning to create a team in our Courts and Tribunals Service Centres (CTSC), to offer guidance and answer questions about the online service.
I hope that the next 12 months are as successful for MyHMCTS. I am grateful for the hard work of all those involved in its success so far – from those who helped to roll it out, to MyHMCTS users whose feedback has been invaluable to helping us get this far. I look forward to keeping you informed of our work in 2021 as it progresses.
For more information on MyHMCTS please visit GOV.UK.