Almost everyone who is convicted of a crime in a court in England and Wales leaves with a bill to pay. Over 75% of people convicted each year are sentenced to a fine, which, according to the Sentencing Council, should have an “equal impact on offenders with different financial circumstances.” Yet while many of the offences for which fines are given are deemed “minor,” our research suggests that, for people on low incomes, the impact of fines is anything but.
This report explores the impact that criminal court fines have on people on low incomes, finding it disproportionately affects them, pushing them further into poverty, destitution and worse mental health.
Please also see our literature review and data review.