Applies to jury service in England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate systems. This guide describes published procedures, not legal advice for an individual summons.
Serve with adjustments: what courts can arrange
Anyone who receives a jury summons from the Jury Central Summoning Bureau is asked whether they have a disability or impairment requiring adjustments or additional assistance to carry out jury service, and those who answer yes are asked to describe the arrangements they need. The House of Commons Library briefing on jury service lists the kinds of adjustment GOV.UK describes: ramps, access to accessible toilets, a hearing loop, guidance in alternative formats such as large print, audio or braille, and a British Sign Language interpreter. A visit to the court can also be arranged so you can see the facilities before service begins. Timing matters for who to contact: if there is at least one week until jury service begins, contact the Jury Central Summoning Bureau; if service begins in less than a week, contact the court directly. Ministry of Justice evidence adds that reasonable adjustments can include step-free access, accessible toilets, hearing loops, alternative formats, a BSL interpreter, regular toilet breaks or suitable seating, and a pre-service court visit.
Defer: the option to consider before excusal
If you cannot attend on the summoned dates, GOV.UK's jury service guidance says you can ask to change the date to another date within the next 12 months, and you can only ask to change the date once. You need a good reason - examples given include an operation, an exam, an employer who will not give time off, a booked holiday, being a new parent, or currently living outside England or Wales. To change the date, reply to your jury summons explaining your reasons in detail, suggesting 3 possible dates in the next 12 months that work for you. The Library briefing makes the same point in policy terms: deferral should usually be considered before excusal, and deferral means postponing to an alternative date within the next 12 months. If your request to change the date is turned down, you can still ask to be excused, and if either request is refused you can appeal in writing to the Jury Central Summoning Bureau, including your juror number, name and address, date of birth, the court name and address, and the service dates.
Excusal: only in exceptional circumstances
Excusal means being released from the summons altogether, and GOV.UK states it is only allowed in exceptional circumstances, for example a serious illness or disability that prevents you from doing jury service, full-time caring for someone with an illness or disability, being a new parent unable to serve at any other time in the next 12 months, or currently living outside England or Wales. You can also ask to be excused if you have done jury service in the last 2 years. To ask, reply to your summons explaining your reasons in detail; you might need proof, such as a letter from your doctor if you are ill. The Library briefing notes the stakes of ignoring a summons: it is an offence punishable by a fine of up to £1,000 to fail to comply without reasonable cause. The practical message is clear: do not ignore the summons because access looks difficult - reply, describe the adjustments you need, and let the deferral-or-excusal process run its course.
Deferral or excusal: how they differ
Deferral postpones service to a date you suggest within 12 months, can only be requested once, and is the expected route for a temporary clash such as an operation, exam or holiday. Excusal ends this summons entirely, requires exceptional circumstances such as a disability that prevents service even with adjustments, and may need medical evidence. Both are requested by replying to the summons, not by a separate application, and both can be appealed to the Jury Central Summoning Bureau if refused. If you are unsure which fits, ask for adjustments first: many access problems that look like reasons for excusal turn out to be solvable with a ramp, a hearing loop, a ground-floor courtroom or a visit in advance.
