Family court & support in Chorley

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-29

Which court serves you

There is no family court in Chorley itself — family cases for Chorley (postcodes PR6 and PR7) are heard at Preston Combined Court Centre, The Law Courts, Openshaw Place, Ring Way, Preston PR1 2LL (HMCTS National Contact Centre 0300 123 5577). It is the principal family court for Central Lancashire. Full self-representation guide, contacts and access details: our Preston County and Family Court page

Citizens Advice

Lancashire West Citizens Advice (Chorley office) — 35-39 Market Street, Chorley, Lancashire PR7 2SW. Adviceline: 0808 278 7880 · website: citizensadvicelancashirewest.org.uk (contact first to check drop-in and appointment options — limited drop-in, phone Mon–Fri 9am–5pm).
National Adviceline: 0800 144 8848 (free).

Mediation & your MIAM

Before most family court applications you must consider a MIAM. FMC-accredited mediators serve Chorley and Central Lancashire (some offer outreach or online MIAMs). Search the FMC register for mediators covering Chorley: https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/find-local-mediator/ — see our mediation guide for costs (£500 voucher, ~£120 MIAM, legal aid).

Domestic abuse support

Refuge National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (24/7) · emergency 999
Key Charity (Chorley & South Ribble) — Clare House refuge and 24-hour helpline: 01772 435865 · listed by Chorley Council: https://chorley.gov.uk/domesticabuse
DASSL (Domestic Abuse Support Service Lancashire) — freephone 24/7: 0300 3033 581 · contact@dassl.org.uk
Lancashire Victim Services — IDVA support: 0300 323 0085 (info@lancashirevictimservices.org)
Check the Women's Aid directory for local services and safe-device options: womensaid.org.uk/information-support/womens-aid-directory
If abuse involves your devices, use a safe device (library, friend's phone, helpline) when researching or emailing about domestic abuse.

Children's services

Lancashire County Council children's services cover Chorley — if you are worried about a child, call the MASH: 0300 123 6720, Monday–Friday 8am–5pm; out of hours, 0300 123 6722. Immediate danger: 999. See https://lancashire.gov.uk/children-and-families/keeping-children-safe/tell-us-if-you-are-worried-about-a-child (or via https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse postcode lookup).

Getting there

Because Chorley's family work is listed at Preston Combined Court Centre, plan your journey to Preston town centre — Chorley rail station to Preston station is a short Northern-services ride (about 15 minutes), with buses also running up the A6. Preston station is roughly a 15-minute walk from the court. The building has level access and hearing enhancement (book adjustments in advance via the court). Check live departures on https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ before travelling.

This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with HMCTS, gov.uk or Lancashire County Council.

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.