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How much does it cost to get divorced?
How much does divorce cost UK?
In the UK, there is a standard court fee of £612 to process the divorce application. This was previously £593 until April 2025.
On top of the court fees, a standard uncontested divorce with a solicitor is in the region of £500 and £2000 plus VAT for applicants, and around £500 and £800 plus VAT if you are responding to the divorce application. However, this cost will vary based on the experience of the solicitor you choose to work with.
The cost of a divorce depends on the method you choose and the complexity of the case. When there are divorce financial settlements and/or child arrangements to resolve, solicitor costs can typically range from £2,500 to £25,000, especially if additional court proceedings are required.
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What’s included in divorce costs?
Your divorce price often covers a wide range of fees that are all grouped into one overall cost. Depending on the complexity of your divorce case and how you choose to get divorced, your costs could include:
- Court fee
- Solicitors’ fees
- Financial settlement
- Child arrangements
- Mediation or other non-court dispute resolution (NCDR) solutions
- Other fees (like house valuations, the cost of expert reports, barrister fees or enforcement fees if one party doesn’t follow court orders)
All divorces are different, but our experts will be able to listen to your case and recommend a tailored solution for your unique situation. If you want an idea of how much your divorce will cost, get in contact with our specialists to find out more.
Divorce prices: Court fees
Divorce prices: Court fees
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What are the court costs for applying for a divorce?
The standard UK court fee to process a divorce application is £612, which every applicant must pay to start the process. This has increased from April 2025, as it used to be £593.
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What is the court cost for a child arrangements order?
An application for a child arrangements order is £263. If you and your ex-partner can’t agree on who gets custody of a child in the divorce, the court can make a child arrangements order. It will state:
- Where the child will live
- When they will see each parent
- Where they will see each parent
- Any other terms of contact
The cost of a child arrangements order will depend on whether the parties can agree on terms, or if the matter progresses to a final hearing before the court makes a decision. In addition, children proceedings generally consist of three main stages, and the cost of your case will also depend on the complexity of issues and whether any additional expert evidence or fact-finding hearings are necessary.
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How much does it cost to get a consent order?
If you need a consent order as part of your divorce, it will cost £60 for the court fee, plus solicitor’s fees.
A consent order is a mutually agreed settlement by both parties and is required to ensure the financial settlement agreed to by you and your spouse is legally binding and provides a clean break from future claims.
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What is the price for a financial order?
If a financial order is essential for your proceedings, rather than a consent order, the cost is £313.
A financial order is needed for a contested financial remedy application where the court has had to step in, as you and your ex-partner cannot agree on how to split assets during divorce.
It may also be needed to ensure any spousal or child maintenance agreements are legally binding, though in most circumstances provision for child maintenance through the courts are limited as the Child Maintenance Service has jurisdiction to decide on the issue. If you and your spouse are able to agree on the terms of a financial consent order, you will not need to start financial remedy proceedings and simply as the court to review and approve the terms of your proposed settlement, which can save you money.
How much do solicitor fees add to divorce costs?
The average price of an uncontested UK divorce, where a solicitor handles the legal paperwork, is between £500 and £2000 plus VAT for the applicant. The price varies due to:
- The expertise of your lawyer
- The time it takes you to get divorced
- The complexities of your case
- Where you live in the country
What’s the price of a divorce if I’m a respondent?
If you are the respondent, you will typically pay less than the applicant. You can expect to pay between £500 and £800 plus VAT for the legal support you need. Of course, this can increase depending on the complexity of your proceedings and if your divorce is contested.
These figures cover the admin associated with legally ending the marriage. They do not include the price complexities often involved in a divorce, such as resolving shared wealth, dividing property, or formalising child arrangements. So, please also take this into consideration when planning how to financially survive your divorce.
Will my divorce be cheaper without a solicitor?
Yes, getting divorced can be cheaper without a solicitor. However, legal errors can lead to the court rejecting your application, resulting in a loss of the £612 fee and further delays. If you misinterpret some of the legal jargon, fill out a form incorrectly, or miss a deadline due to the other stresses of life, it can end up being more expensive in the long run.
Hear from one of our expert lawyers
Judit Kerese, Associate at our law office in Cardiff, says:
“Whilst dealing with a complex matter may attract increased legal fees as well as other expert fees, it is imperative that you obtain legal advice to ensure that you obtain a financial settlement which is in your best interest.
“Our specialist lawyers will be able to highlight important considerations which may otherwise be missed, such as different options around pension sharing, the ways in which you can achieve an immediate or deferred clean break, and the need to consider tax implications, for instance.
“Having advice from our solicitors will enable you to maximise your chances to settle a matter amicably and ensure that the outcome you achieve is deemed fair in the eyes of the law.
“Please note that if a judge deems your settlement to be unfair, they can reject a proposed consent order even if both parties agreed to the settlement, and this can result in delays and additional fees, which you could otherwise avoid.”
What factors influence the price of ending a marriage?
The admin involved with dissolving a marriage, such as completing the Form E or Form D81, is relatively straightforward in terms of what is expected, although the forms can be daunting, so it is best to seek legal advice in completing them. However, reaching an agreement on how to untangle your shared lives is where the costs tend to escalate.
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Financial settlements
When negotiating a financial settlement, some parties feel they are entitled to certain assets which they may not have any rights to have. This can cause complexities and drag out the divorce process.
Separating assets during the divorce process includes:
- Selling property – both in the UK and abroad
- Splitting pensions
- Dividing businesses
Solicitor costs for these elements typically range from £2,500 to £25,000, as some assets require independent expert valuations.
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Child arrangements
If parents cannot agree on child arrangements, the matter might escalate to court. Going to court over your children significantly increases your legal fees, potentially running into thousands of pounds.
Keeping matters amicable throughout your divorce, either through working out an arrangement between yourselves as parents, or via mediation or collaborative law, is highly recommended to protect your finances, your time, and your family’s wellbeing.
Will mediation make my divorce cheaper?
Yes, using mediation throughout your divorce can make proceedings cheaper. This is because disputes over money or children are the main driver of high legal bills, as not reaching an agreement can mean the court needs to intervene. It is, however, important that you seek legal advice alongside mediation to ensure that you understand your position from a legal perspective, and to ensure that any agreement reached will be accepted by the court.
Going all the way to a final court hearing is rare, but it does happen. The price of this is very high, easily exceeding tens of thousands if a judge has to make the final decision regarding your finances or child arrangements.
Throughout mediation, a trained mediator is an impartial third party in the room with you and your spouse that helps reach agreements over:
- Finances
- Children
- The marital home
- Pension splitting
- Businesses
- Spousal or child maintenance
If you’re struggling to reach an agreement, we always recommend our clients try mediation or other non-court dispute resolution (NCDR) methods. Here at Stowe, our lawyers are trained in NCDR solutions, such as mediation, which offer a far more cost-effective way to find common ground. In fact, over 80% of our cases are settled out of court.
If you’re interested in our NCDR options, reach out to our team today to find out more.
Who pays the legal fees in a divorce?
Typically, each person pays for their legal fees during the divorce process. However, if an agreement cannot be reached, the applicant can ask the court to issue a costs order, which is where the courts make the respondent pay some or all of the legal costs.
It’s important to note that the courts rarely grant these orders unless one party has behaved unreasonably or caused deliberate delays during the litigation process.
Our experts advise clients to attempt to reach a mutual agreement regarding fees before the application is even sent to the court. This approach prevents unnecessary friction and keeps the overall costs down.
Can I share the cost of divorce with my ex-spouse?
If you are on amicable terms with your ex-partner, you can agree to split the court fee and other administrative costs voluntarily.
For example, the applicant pays for the court application fee, but nowadays, couples agree to split this at a later date. If you are applying as joint applicants, Applicant 1 pays the £612, but again, parties usually agree to share this price.
How much does a divorce cost if both parties agree?
If you and your spouse are having an amicable split, it keeps your legal expenses to a minimum.
However, even if both parties completely agree on how to divide their assets, you still need the courts to approve a consent order to make the agreement legally binding. This order prevents either person from making future financial claims against the other. This will cost £60 by way of the court fee, and your solicitor’s fee will depend on the complexity of your matter and whether you have a full agreement in place or require assistance with negotiations.
How much does a divorce cost after five years?
Under the current no-fault divorce system, you no longer need to wait two or five years to prove a period of separation. The divorce process and the mandatory £612 fee remain exactly the same regardless of how long you have been separated from your spouse before divorce.
The legal fees you incur will also be similar, depending entirely on whether you have unresolved financial matters with your ex-partner.
Is a civil partnership dissolution the same price as a divorce?
Yes, those dissolving their civil partnership still pay the £612 court fee. They will also need to pay solicitors’ fees to split assets, negotiate financial settlements, and finalise child arrangements.
Our experts are here to help
We understand the difficulty and stress that come with the breakdown of a relationship. This is why our team of divorce solicitors will be by your side to get you through this period and work with you towards a resolution.
We will listen to your situation and recommend the best solution for your needs and budget. We always tailor our services to each individual, striving to resolve cases as quickly as possible to avoid unnecessary conflict, a delayed divorce process, and extra costs.
If you and your former partner are taking the first steps in seeking a divorce, call our expert team today on 0330 191 4940 or request a free callback, and we’ll answer any questions you have about how much your divorce may cost.
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