Divorce costs can be confusing for newly separated couples. Even if you’ve agreed to separate, you may worry about whether you can afford the process.
In most cases, getting divorced should cost only a few thousand pounds.
However, every divorce case is different.
Here’s a look at the costs involved in a divorce.
How much does a divorce application cost?
Applying for a divorce costs £593.
This is the standard court fee to process your divorce application.
Importantly, this fee does not include the cost of using a solicitor. It also does not include the cost of dealing with child arrangements or finances.
While it costs £593 to apply for divorce, the costs are unlikely to stop there. Let’s look at the other costs involved in a divorce.
What other divorce costs are there?
Solicitor fees
You do not necessarily need a solicitor to get divorced. You can complete the divorce forms yourself online.
It is important to note, however, that you may be eligible for legal aid, which can be extremely helpful. With a solicitor, you can make sure your divorce application is handled correctly and reduce the risk of unnecessary delays.
A divorce solicitor may charge by the hour or offer a fixed fee.
On average, a solicitor will charge between £500 and £1,000 for a divorce, although this depends on their experience.
It’s recommended that you use a divorce solicitor if your divorce involves valuable assets or children.
The financial settlement
The financial settlement sets out how you and your spouse will divide your matrimonial assets.
Remember that a financial settlement is separate from the legal divorce itself. This means you can be legally divorced without reaching a financial settlement with your spouse.
Although you can get divorced without reaching a financial settlement, we recommend arranging one anyway. Without a legally binding financial separation, your spouse could later make a claim against your estate.
Resolving the financial settlement is often what makes divorce expensive. Even in an uncontested divorce, it can be difficult to decide who gets what.
How much it costs to reach a financial settlement depends on several factors, including the complexity of your assets and whether you and your ex-partner can reach an agreement.
If your assets are straightforward and you both agree how to split them in advance, you may pay much less. The only cost may be for your solicitor to draft a financial consent order. This would usually cost around £300, plus a £53 court fee.
However, more complex assets can increase solicitor fees to around £1,500. If you cannot reach an agreement, you may also need mediation, which costs around £150 per session.
Finally, if mediation fails and your case goes to court, legal fees can rise into the tens of thousands.
Family mediation costs
If you cannot agree how to divide your assets privately, you will usually be directed to family mediation.
If you go to court, you must show that you attended a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM). This meeting assesses whether your case is suitable for mediation and usually costs about £120.
You should try to make the most of mediation wherever possible.
At around £150 per session, mediation is much cheaper than going to court to resolve a divorce dispute.
An impartial mediator will listen to both you and your ex-partner and help you reach an agreement by improving communication.
If you are able to come to an agreement, your divorce solicitor can draw up a financial consent order to make it legally binding.
Divorce court fees
Mediation is not always successful.
If you are unable to reach an agreement after mediation, your case may be taken to court.
You will need to apply for a Financial Remedy Order, where a judge decides how your assets should be divided. The court fee for this is £275.
On top of this, you may need to pay a solicitor to represent you in court, in addition to further court-related costs. This can easily rise to £15,000 after only a few hearings.
Child maintenance costs
If you have children, you will need to sort out their living arrangements and child maintenance payments.
You may be able to come to an agreement privately with your ex-partner. If you cannot agree, you can ask the Child Maintenance Service to calculate it for you.
The Child Maintenance Service will consider several factors, including:
- The number of children you have
- The paying parent’s gross weekly income
- How much time the paying parent spends with the child
- Whether the paying parent is paying child maintenance for any other children
Child maintenance is usually paid monthly by the paying parent. This normally continues until the child turns 16.
Find out more in our guide: How much child maintenance should I pay?
Talk to a divorce solicitor
Divorce does not have to be expensive. But costs can quickly spiral if your ex-partner refuses to cooperate.
That’s why it helps to have an expert family law solicitor on your side.
The Law Superstore connects you with family solicitors across England and Wales. Simply enter a few details to compare prices and connect with professionals who can guide you through the divorce process.
