Burnley Family Court — self-representation guide

Essentials

Address

Hammers Street, Lancashire BB11 1XD

Telephone

0300 123 5577; 0300 303 0642

Court location code

154

Verified

2026-08-27

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-27

If you are representing yourself in a family matter in Burnley, you are not alone. This guide lays out, plainly and without judgement, what to expect when your family case is heard in the Burnley area, so you can walk in more prepared and less uncertain. It is not legal advice — court details below are sourced from the public HMCTS register and verified against the official "Find a court or tribunal" pages on 2026-08-27.

About the name. There is no longer a standalone building called "Burnley County Court and Family Court." HMCTS runs the area's courts from two linked venues. Heavier county and crown (criminal) work sits at Burnley Combined Court Centre, The Law Courts, Hammerton Street, BB11 1XD, which also holds the official county court registration for the area (county court location code 154). Family hearings for the Burnley area — adoption, childcare arrangements, divorce and domestic-abuse applications — sit at the Reedley Family Hearing Centre in Reedley, close to Burnley (the same family hearing venue that serves Blackburn). Use the official name, address and contact details below, and always go to the court named on your notice of hearing.

The essentials

Family hearings are usually heard at: Reedley Family Hearing Centre, The Court House, Colne Road (junction with Swaledale Avenue), Reedley (near Brierfield), Burnley BB10 2LJ
County / crown court building: Burnley Combined Court Centre, The Law Courts, Hammerton Street, Burnley BB11 1XD
Phone (HMCTS National Contact Centre for Civil & Family Court – Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm): 0300 123 5577
Phone (HMCTS Divorce Contact Centre – Mon–Fri 10am–6pm): 0300 303 0642
Phone (Burnley Combined Court Centre – crown court enquiries): 01772 844 700
Email (family matters): blackburnfamily@justice.gov.uk
Email (Burnley county court): enquiries.burnley.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
County Court location code: 154 · DX: 724940 Burnley 4
Court type: County Court, Crown Court and Family Court sittings (adoption, childcare arrangements, divorce, domestic abuse)
Court open (official): Monday to Friday 9am–5pm; counter service by appointment only
verifiedAt: 2026-08-27 (checked against the official HMCTS pages)

Contact and enquiries (official HMCTS details)

These are the contact routes listed on the official HMCTS "Find a court or tribunal" pages for the Burnley venues.

Telephone

HMCTS National Contact Centre for Civil & Family Court (Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm) — general enquiries: 0300 123 5577
HMCTS Divorce Contact Centre (Mon–Fri 10am–6pm): 0300 303 0642
Burnley Combined Court Centre (crown/county court enquiries): 01772 844 700
If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, contact the court in advance.

Email (@justice.gov.uk)

blackburnfamily@justice.gov.uk — children and family enquiries (the family team serves the Burnley/Blackburn area).
enquiries.burnley.countycourt@justice.gov.uk — count./county court matters at Burnley Combined Court Centre.
The public counter operates by appointment only — all general and family enquiries go by telephone or email, so plan around that.
For anything you are unsure of, call the National Contact Centre on 0300 123 5577 and ask.

Safety note on scams: HMCTS warns that scammers impersonate genuine HMCTS phone numbers and email addresses and may demand payment, claiming to be from HMRC or the enforcement service. If you are unsure, do not pay anything and report the scam to Action Fraud. HMCTS scam warning (gov.uk)

Getting there & access

Reedley Family Hearing Centre, The Court House, Colne Road (junction with Swaledale Avenue), Reedley (near Brierfield), Burnley BB10 2LJ — if your notice of hearing lists this venue:

By rail: Burnley / Burnley Central are the nearest stations; Reedley lies on the Colne Road route east of Burnley, so allow for a bus or car from the station.
By road from the main Burnley–Colne road (A56/A679 corridor) toward Brierfield and Reedley.

Burnley Combined Court Centre, The Law Courts, Hammerton Street, Burnley BB11 1XD — county/crown court building:

By rail: Burnley Central and Burnley Manchester Road railway stations are a short walk from the town centre and Hammerton Street.
Frequent local bus services run along Yorkshire Street / Centenary Way nearby.
Parking: there is no parking at the building — the nearest off-site car park is King Street Car Park, BB11 1XD, a short walk away. Arrive at least 30 minutes early: all visitors and their belongings are searched at security on entry (tell the security officer if you have a pacemaker).

Check live travel before you go — engineering works and delays can change things on the day. The court is open Mon–Fri 9am–5pm and the counter is by appointment only, so arrive early and have your questions ready to ask by phone or email. A hurried arrival adds stress.

What cases this court handles

According to the official HMCTS register, the Burnley venues/family sittings handle:

Adoption
Childcare arrangements if you separate from your partner (C100 / child arrangements orders)
Divorce hearings
Domestic abuse (FL401 / non-molestation and occupation orders)
County court work (Housing, Money claims, Bankruptcy) is dealt with at Burnley Combined Court Centre

Not every family case is heard here. If you are unsure whether your matter belongs at Burnley:

Check your court documents. The notice of hearing and any correspondence get you the court and the address where you are expected.
Ask the court. Call the HMCTS enquiries line on 0300 123 5577 — staff are there to point you in the right direction.

The C100 / FHDRA reality

For most parents, the first step is a C100 application for a child arrangements order, and the first hearing is the First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment (FHDRA). Here is the reality of that first hearing for a litigant in person:

It is short and administrative. The FHDRA normally lasts around 30 minutes and is not the trial. It is a gatekeeping and dispute‑resolution hearing — the judge checks the papers, identifies what is agreed and what is in dispute, and decides what is needed next.
The judge encourages agreement. Where it is safe, the court will look for contact both parents can agree on, rather than deciding everything there and then.
You will likely be referred on. If issues cannot be resolved at the FHDRA, the case is typically listed for further court directions, a fact‑finding hearing (where allegations of harm are examined) and/or a final hearing. Expect more than one hearing — that is normal.
Bring your evidence and be ready to speak plainly. You don't need a solicitor, but the judge needs to understand your position clearly and calmly. Answer directly, address the judge respectfully, and ask if you don't follow something — it's better to ask than to guess.
Support is available. Independent charity Support Through Court assists litigants in person (linked below). You are also allowed a McKenzie friend (an unpaid assistant who can sit with you, take notes and quietly advise — they cannot address the court without permission).

FL401 / domestic‑abuse safety

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, please know you are not alone, and this court takes abuse matters seriously — domestic abuse is one of the family case types it handles. Help is available.

FL401 is the court application form used to apply for a non‑molestation order (which stops someone threatening or using violence towards you) or an occupation order (which decides who can live in the family home). You can often apply urgently, sometimes without telling the other person first.

Refuge National Domestic Abuse Helpline (freephone, 24/7): 0808 2000 247
Emergency: if you are in immediate danger, call 999.
Non‑emergency police: 101 for non‑urgent concerns.

Please use a safe device. "Safe" means a phone, computer or tablet that an abusive partner or ex‑partner cannot access — for example a device at work, at a trusted friend's or family member's home, or a library. Calls, messages, browsing history and app activity can be monitored on a device or account the abuser has access to, so take care when researching this information or applying for an order. If you are worried your device is being monitored, consider seeking help from a service you trust where you know the device is private.

Links you may find helpful:

A practical first visit / application checklist

Before you go, work through this list so nothing catches you by surprise:

[ ] Confirm the court name and venue on your notice of hearing — family hearings are usually at the Reedley Family Hearing Centre (Colne Road, Reedley, near Brierfield, Burnley BB10 2LJ); county/crown matters at Burnley Combined Court Centre (The Law Courts, Hammerton Street, BB11 1XD).
[ ] If unsure it is the right court, call the HMCTS enquiries line on 0300 123 5577 to confirm.
[ ] Check whether you need the C100 (child arrangements), FL401 (domestic abuse) or another form — see the official links below.
[ ] Apply for a family order online where possible — divorce and some family applications can be started via the official gov.uk routes (linked below) rather than by paper; you may be able to get help with the fee if you're on a low income or benefits.
[ ] Prepare in one page what you want the judge to know, and keep it calm and specific.
[ ] Bring photo ID, your court notices, and anything the court asked you to bring.
[ ] Note the counter is by appointment only — sort out any questions by phone (0300 123 5577) or email (blackburnfamily@justice.gov.uk) in advance.
[ ] Plan your journey and arrival time to the venue named on your notice, and check live rail/bus status. If visiting Hammerton Street, allow time for security screening and park at King Street Car Park (no on-site parking).
[ ] Arrange childcare or time off in advance so you are not rushed on the day.
[ ] Consider a McKenzie friend or ask Support Through Court for help if that would steady you.

You are entitled to a fair hearing. Preparing for the practical realities — the travel, the waiting, the uncertainty — is one of the best things you can do to give yourself a steadier day.

YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory — we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to HMCTS, the Family Court, or gov.uk. Court details are sourced from the public HMCTS register and reviewed for accuracy; always confirm the latest position directly with the court, because court listing and status information changes. This page is general information and is not legal advice.

Official forms & guidance (gov.uk):

Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.

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