Guidance

HMCTS managed and approved service providers (MASPs) of intermediary services

Updated 1 July 2024

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmcts-approved-intermediaries/hmcts-managed-and-approved-service-providers-masps-of-intermediary-services

In Scotland this guidance only applies to HMCTS tribunals.

Managed and approved service providers (MASPs) are larger providers of intermediary services. MASPs run intermediary services nationally on behalf of HMCTS.

This guide provides a summary of MASPs’ services. Find the contact details for each MASP on their website, linked from their descriptions. Only legal representatives can contact an MASP.

If you are not legally represented, you can ask for intermediary support from the court or tribunal where the hearing will take place. Find out how to contact the court of tribunal.

Aspire Intermediary Services

Aspire Intermediary Services provides intermediary services for criminal, family and tribunal cases across England and Wales.

Aspire can: 

  • match vulnerable people with intermediaries who have the skills and expertise to meet their needs
  • provide services for adults, children and young people 

Aspire specialise in working with a range of needs including:

  • severe mental illness, learning disability and learning difficulties
  • autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other neurological and developmental conditions
  • complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a history of trauma

Communicourt

Communicourt provides intermediary services for criminal, family and tribunal across England and Wales.

Communicourt intermediaries can:

  • assess a person’s communication needs and advise the court on how proceedings should be adapted to meet those needs
  • help legal representatives plan how to ask questions when a defendant gives evidence, in a way that minimises anxiety
  • support a vulnerable person to give evidence and to communicate well with their legal representatives

Communicourt has an online booking system, so you do not need to complete the assessment and attendance booking forms.

The Intermediary Cooperative

The Intermediary Cooperative (TIC) is a national cooperative of intermediary services for criminal, family and tribunal cases.

TIC will:

  • ensure matched intermediaries have the specialist skills for each vulnerable person
  • aim for consistency of intermediary throughout the case
  • select the closest intermediaries to minimise travel and reduce carbon footprint

TIC has an online booking system, so you do not need to complete the assessment and attendance booking forms.

Triangle

Triangle provides intermediaries service for children and young people up to the age of 30 in criminal and family proceedings.

Triangle specialises in working with children and young people with:

  • learning disabilities
  • autism
  • brain injury
  • ADHD
  • physical disabilities
  • experiences of trauma
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