Can I get a divorce in England and Wales?
To start divorce proceedings, the courts of England and Wales must have jurisdiction to deal with your case. This will often be the case where you or your spouse live in England or Wales, but jurisdiction depends on your individual circumstances. If you are unsure whether the courts here can deal with your divorce, we recommend seeking advice before you begin.
No-fault divorce came into force in England and Wales on 6 April 2022 under the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020. Couples no longer need to blame one another or rely on behaviour-based allegations — either spouse, or both together, can apply on the basis that the marriage has irretrievably broken down.
The law provides a minimum period of 20 weeks from the start of proceedings before you can apply for a conditional order. This gives couples a meaningful period of reflection and an opportunity to reconsider the decision to divorce.
The current court fee for a divorce application is £628. This fee is payable to the court, is separate from IB Service's service fee and may change. If you are on a low income or receive certain benefits, you may be eligible for Help with Fees towards the court fee.
Three stages.
Under the no-fault system, the divorce process has three stages:
Submitting the divorce application to the court, either online or on paper, confirming that the marriage has irretrievably broken down.
Applying for a conditional order once the statutory 20-week period from the start of proceedings has passed.
Applying for the final order, which can be made at least six weeks and one day after the conditional order. The final order legally ends the marriage.
It is important to understand that a divorce legally ends the marriage, but it does not, by itself, resolve financial arrangements or arrangements for children. These are separate matters and may require separate agreements or court applications — for example, a financial order to make a financial settlement legally binding. Older divorce cases may refer to the “decree absolute”; this has now been replaced by the final order. Although the divorce process itself can be relatively straightforward, agreeing finances, property and arrangements for children can be more difficult. Speak to our legal specialists — we will explain your options in clear terms so that you can understand the consequences of your divorce and make properly informed decisions.
Our fees.
- Initial consultation
- Help with preparing the divorce application and supporting documents
- Practical support throughout the process
- Regular progress updates
- Guidance on obtaining the final order
The expected timeframe is up to 7 months.
Get started* Terms and conditions apply
- Initial consultation
- Help with preparing the divorce application and supporting documents
- Practical support throughout the process
- Regular progress updates
- Guidance on obtaining the final order
The expected timeframe is up to 12 months.
Get started* Terms and conditions apply
- Initial consultation
- Help with preparing the financial order application and supporting documents
- Practical support throughout the process
- Regular progress updates
The expected timeframe is up to 6 months.
Get started* Terms and conditions apply
Speak to one of our specialists.
Call us on 020 8536 0065 or fill in the form below.
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