Divorce and family law

If you are planning cohabitation, marriage or a civil partnership, you should consider potential legal issues if one of you dies or you separate.

Divorce and family law - overview

Statistics reveal that 42% of marriages in the UK end in divorce. Read our overview of the divorce process and what happens to the children and assets of a married couple.

Divorce settlements - overview

Concerns about finances can make divorce even more stressful. Aim to negotiate a divorce settlement that provides for each of you and any dependents.

Divorce process - overview

What is involved in the divorce process, what you can agree between yourselves and when to involve solicitors and the Family Court

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Cohabitation and common law marriage

How moving in together affects your legal position. The rights and responsibilities of cohabiting couples and what happens if the relationship ends

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FAQs

Divorce and children FAQs

Divorce and children – answers to the most common questions about parents’ rights, childcare arrangements and child maintenance payments

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Divorce and family law glossary

Divorce glossary explaining divorce and family law terms in simple English to help you understand the legal jargon used by divorce lawyers

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FAQs

Divorce FAQs

Divorce FAQs - your questions answered from what you need to prove to get a divorce to how the divorce process works

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FAQs

Divorce financial settlement FAQs

Divorce settlement FAQs – your questions answered from when to agree a financial settlement to agreeing maintenance payments and sharing out assets

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Child maintenance

When child maintenance is payable, how much child maintenance should be, making child maintenance arrangements and how to enforce payment

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Civil partnership

How to register a civil partnership, financial affairs and children for civil partners, and how a civil partnership can be brought to an end

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Do you need a divorce lawyer?

Nobody wants to pay unnecessary legal fees, but you also need to ask yourself whether getting divorced without using a lawyer would risk causing serious problems

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Spousal maintenance

Understanding when spousal maintenance should be part of a divorce financial settlement. How much, for how long, and when it can be changed

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Consent orders

How to use a consent order to make a divorce settlement legally binding. What to include, the court application and whether you can change it later

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Free legal advice

Where to get free legal advice to help you with divorce and family law – and the pitfalls to look out for

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FAQs

Prenuptial agreement FAQs

Whether you need a prenuptial agreement, what to cover, how to prepare your prenup and what effect a prenup has if you do get divorced

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The Child Maintenance Service

How the Child Maintenance Service works out and helps collect maintenance payments, and what is happening to old Child Support Agency cases

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DIY divorce

When DIY divorce is a realistic option; how to deal with the divorce itself, finances and children; and what help you can get if you need it

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Family mediation

How to use family mediation to help you reach agreement with your partner or ex-partner over children, finances or other key issues

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Relationship advice

Common relationship problems, what you can expect from marriage guidance and other sources of relationship advice, and where to find the help you need

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Annulment

The differences between marriage annulment and divorce: ‘void’ and ‘voidable’ marriages and how to apply for a decree of nullity

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Divorce forms

The most common divorce forms used for the divorce, financial settlements and childcare arrangements – what they are and where to find them

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How much does a divorce cost?

Divorce costs explained: family court fees, mediation and legal costs, who pays the divorce costs and what help may be available towards your costs

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Separation

The differences between separation, judicial separation and divorce, using a separation agreement and when you might need legal advice