How Much does a Divorce Cost?

There are three main areas of cost in a divorce, firstly the mandatory court fees, then solicitor and mediation fees. This article breaks down these main cost areas in order to arrive at an answer to the question, How much will a divorce cost me?

Court Fees

This is an expense that you can’t avoid. It doesn’t matter how you undertake your divorce, be it online, by yourself or via a solicitor, if you are initiating the divorce then you will have to pay court fees. The only exception to this is if you are on low wages or benefits it may be possible to have your court fees paid for you under the court fee exemption scheme.

Court Fees in England and Wales

£550 to file the divorce petition and receive the decree absolute
£100 if you also wish to file a financial consent order

Solicitor fees

If you use a high street solicitor then many still charge by the hour at an average rate of between £150 and £200 per hour. You will be charged per unit of time that you utilise which is normally a period of six minutes. You will also be charged for each letter or phone call made on your behalf. This can soon mount up, so it may be a good idea to agree a fixed fee upfront, a realistic cost for this fixed fee (excluding court fees) for an uncontested divorce could range between £600 and £1,000. Unfortunately since 2013, Legal Aid has just about disappeared for Divorces in England and Wales.

If your divorce is defended then the cost can really begin to ramp up and you will need to increase your budget to anything between £3,000 and £5,000. Although it must be stressed there is no upper limit if you and your former partner can not reach a settlement. You maybe able to agree a fixed fee even if you divorce is defended but make sure you understand what is included within the fixed fee contract and be careful of exclusion and termination clauses. Even if it is not possible to negotiate a fixed fee you should be able to get an estimate of what your divorce costs are likely to be.

In a defended divorce then you also need to put money aside for additional fees such as for valuations of your home(s), polices and assets, Bank and Credit card fees for statement copies, HM Revenue costs for tax details, financial advice fees, pension sharing fees from actuaries, pension fund manager fees for transfer values and finally Barrister costs if you need representation at a final hearing.

You could also opt for a managed divorce, this is a service provided by many online divorce providers and some law firms where they give you access to a team of dedicated advisers to assist you in completing the divorce process. This can be obtained for a fee of between £180 to £600. This type of service is only worthwhile for uncontested divorces where you and your partner are still able to communicate.

Mediator Fees

A mediator will often assist in helping couples come to an agreement so that they can proceed with an uncontested divorce. If there is a child involved or a financial dispute then this service is often mandatory. A mediator will typically charge £100 per hour and it will normally take between 3 and 4 sessions. So a budget of £400 would be realistic starting point.

DIY Divorce Fees

If you are in a position to undertake a DIY divorce and complete all your own paperwork then it is possible to use an online divorce service from around £59 to assist you in completing the forms. This is in addition to the court fees. You could save even this cost by doing your own research and completing the forms without any additional aid.

So..