We are often asked the question: How much is it to get a divorce in the UK? The cost of divorce in the UK can vary greatly depending on several factors, such as the complexity of the case, whether you opt for divorce mediation, hire a divorce solicitor, or face court proceedings.
The total divorce cost can escalate when legal representation is required, particularly if the case becomes a contested divorce. Conversely, if both parties are amicable and able to agree on key terms, the average cost of a divorce process can be significantly lower. Below is a breakdown of the main divorce fees and other costs involved in getting a divorce in the UK.
Divorce Application and Divorce Petition Costs
Every divorce process starts with filing a divorce petition. This document formally initiates the legal procedure for ending a marriage. In the UK, the current court fee for filing a divorce application is £550.
This fee only covers the administrative costs of beginning the divorce proceedings; it does not include additional legal fees like those charged by family solicitors or a divorce solicitor for handling financial and childcare arrangements.
Legal Representation and Solicitor Fees
Fees can range from £500 to £5,000 or more, depending on the nature of your case and the solicitor fees/hourly rates. Hiring a more experienced divorce solicitor can increase the overall divorce cost. Some lawyers based in central London will charge £500 plus VAT or more per hour.
The fees of a divorce solicitor will include the cost of attending court, preparing documents, and negotiating with your spouse. It’s important to have a clear understanding of the costs involved before you start working with a solicitor.
Each lawyer in the UK charges their own rate of divorce costs or solicitors fees. These can be ascertained beforehand before any appointment is made with them or by phoning round and asking what the costs are that are charged by them.
Mediation and Uncontested Divorce
Opting for divorce mediation can help significantly reduce the financial burden of divorce. A mediation process involves both parties working with a trained mediator to resolve their disputes without needing to go to divorce court.
A mediation session is generally much less expensive than court proceedings, with mediation costs ranging between £500 to £1,500 depending on the mediator and number of sessions required. If a financial settlement is reached, a consent order will need to be drawn up by a divorce solicitor to formalise the agreement legally.
If mediation is followed, and the sessions are restricted, and the hourly rate is restricted then this will be a far cheaper method than going to Court. If matters can be agreed readily then again costs can be restricted to between £5,000 to £10,000 plus VAT.
However, it is always recommended that the parties take legal advice either before, during and certainly after mediation in order to draw up the appropriate settlement with the correct wording.
Rarely, an agreement made in mediation can fall apart if the mediator has not considered all of the implications that may then be considered by the lawyers when drafting. If the negotiations between solicitors break down and the matter has to proceed to Court in any event, then costs would have been incurred that cannot be recouped.
Contested Divorce and Court Costs
A contested divorce can become a significant financial burden, especially if both parties disagree on key matters like finances or child custody. In such cases, legal representation is almost always required, leading to escalating court costs and solicitor charges. The court may charge additional fees for hearings and of course lengthy court battles.
A Financial Remedy Order through the courts costs £255, while solicitor fees for a contested divorce can exceed £10,000 to £15,000 if the case requires multiple court proceedings.
Financial Disclosure and Financial Burden
In any divorce or separation case, especially a contested divorce, both parties are required to undergo financial disclosure. This process involves revealing all assets, debts, and income to ensure an equitable financial settlement.
Failing to provide complete disclosure can result in additional court battles and increased legal costs. The complexity of dividing assets like property, pensions, and business interests can also increase the overall divorce cost.
Barrister and Additional Legal Charges
If a case becomes complex, a barrister may be required to represent one of the parties in court. A barrister’s fees will vary based on experience and the nature of the case, but they can add thousands of pounds to the legal costs. This is especially true for cases involving financial issues, such as disputes over property valuations or pension sharing.
In addition to the cost of the divorce, there may be other costs involved in the divorce process. For example, if you and your spouse have children, paying the fee for a child arrangements order evaluation may be necessary. If you and your spouse own property, you may need to pay for a property valuation.
A financial order is another cost that may be involved in the divorce process. This is an agreement between you and your spouse that sets out how your assets will be divided. A financial order can be prepared by a solicitor and is legally binding.
If you are the victim of domestic abuse, you may be able to get legal aid to help with the cost of a divorce. Legal aid is a form of financial assistance that helps people who cannot afford to pay for legal advice. To be eligible for legal aid, you will need to meet certain criteria, such as having a low income.
As you can see, it is difficult to determine how much it is to get divorced in the UK exactly, because this will very much depend on many considerations. The lawyers approach the case, the parties’ concerns and their approach to the case, and if there is a genuine desire to bring matters to a close will all factor. Here we look at the possible different areas of cost when getting divorced.
Divorce Petition Costs and Court Fees
Every divorce must start with filing a divorce petition in the UK. The court fee is currently £550. Paying the court fees covers the cost of filing the divorce petition and starting the legal process to obtain a divorce. It does not cover any other costs that may be involved in the divorce process, such as solicitor’s fees or other court costs, such as the cost of a hearing, interim maintenance application or the cost of obtaining a financial order.
Solicitors Costs
The costs of the divorce petition are separate from the costs of the divorce lawyer in dealing with the financial or other aspect of the matter which can include dealing with children’s matters. Other costs incurred will be dependent on whether there is an intention to defend, or other difficulties involved or jurisdictional aspects.
But rest assured, the average costs of this must be set out by solicitors in their initial letter to their client under Law Society directives. This ensures that the parties know the parameters of the divorce before they start. If the solicitor is going to exceed the amount set out in the letter giving the average costs, then they have to indicate this to the client before any Court hearings and set out the reasons for this.
This may be the case if circumstances such as injunctions, applications to prevent a party moving assets out of the jurisdiction arise. Emergency hearings can lead to lots of costs being incurred over a short period of time outside of solicitors’ estimates because of the circumstances.
A further consideration is the cost of any third parties like a barrister, who will be arguing the case in the Court or assisting with negotiations if necessary or will simply advise one of the parties as to the parameters of a settlement. Their fees can vary again based on the amount that their Chambers charge or their experience.
Avoiding additional divorce costs
As you can see, legal costs can vary dramatically due to the circumstances, the nature of the applications being made, and the costs of the lawyers concerned making it difficult to answer How much is it to get a divorce in the UK?
You can help reduce costs as much as possible by producing a history of all matters relating to finances, children etc, from the earliest possible time. This will help to minimise the amount of legal fees and to ensure that the factual information that you give to your lawyer is correct. If you give continuous information that is incorrect and needs correcting it will add to your costs.
While the cost of divorce can be significant, there are ways to reduce other costs. For example, minimising the number of emails, calls, and meetings with your divorce solicitor can help keep solicitor fees in check. Being organised and providing complete and accurate information from the outset can also prevent the need for costly corrections later.
When to contact our Divorce Lawyers in London
The cost in the UK of getting divorced, from initial meeting to final order, can range from a few hundred pounds to several thousand, depending on the nature of your case, the level of legal advice you need, and whether you go to court.
It’s important to have a clear understanding of the costs involved and to seek legal advice if necessary to help you make informed decisions throughout the divorce process.
Based in London, we pride ourselves upon our caring approach to all our clients. We cover a range of legal issues including divorce, separation, financial disputes and settlements, arrangements for children, adoption, surrogacy, cohabitation, harassment and domestic abuse and international family law matters.
Our expert family law solicitors are here to help guide you through your divorce and all the elements that go with that, including childcare arrangements and financial settlements. We will also advise whether your case is appropriate for mediation, where you can receive guidance from our trained mediators and a collaborative lawyer.
Read more about our Divorce Lawyers in London. To make an enquiry about How much is it to get a divorce in the UK? Please fill in our form, call us on 0208 343 2998 or click to contact our divorce lawyers.
