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Money · divorce

How much does a divorce cost?

In England and Wales the court fee to apply for a divorce is £628[1], and Help with Fees can reduce it[2]. The cost of divorce rises with legal help: a 2024 regulator survey found a median quote of £750 for a simple divorce and £6,000 where assets were disputed, before VAT and court fees[3].

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Divorce application fee[1]
Median solicitor quote, simple divorce[3]
Consent order fee[4]
Typical MIAM, each[5]

01/ Court fees

Family court fees now

Divorce and financial order court fees in England and Wales from 13 July 2026
ApplicationFee
Divorce application fee 1.2£628[1]from 13 July 2026
Financial order, other than by consent (Form A) fee 5.4£321[6]from 13 July 2026
Application in existing proceedings without notice or by consent, including a consent order fee 5.1£62[4]from 13 July 2026
Answer to a divorce application (defending it) fee 1.6£240[7]from 13 July 2026
Judicial separation or another matrimonial order (not divorce) fee 1.3£426[8]from 13 July 2026

Fee numbers are those in the Family Proceedings Fees Order 2008, as amended from 13 July 2026[1][6][4][8][7].

02/ Court fees

Court fees for a divorce

The fee to apply for a divorce is £628 (fee 1.2), in force since 13 July 2026[1]. It is not refunded after you are sent the notice that your application has been issued[2].

On a joint application you must both apply for Help with Fees; if your husband or wife is not eligible or does not apply, you pay the full fee[2].

Other fees apply only to other applications: defending a divorce costs £240, a judicial separation £426, a financial order the court decides £321, and a consent order £62[7][8][6][4]. Court fees are separate from legal costs such as a solicitor's bill[9]. See family court costs for every fee.

03/ Help with Fees

Getting help with the fee

Help with Fees can reduce or cover a court fee if you are on a low income or certain benefits[10]. You can apply before or after paying, and get money back if you paid in the last 3 months and were eligible then[11].

Your savings, including a partner's, must be under a limit: if you are both 65 or younger, £4,250 for a fee of £1,420 or less; if either of you is 66 or older, £16,000[11].

You may qualify if you get income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Universal Credit with earnings under £6,000 a year, or Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, or if your income is low enough[11].

For a divorce, applying online gives you a reference number to use in the divorce application so you do not pay upfront; with a paper form, you apply for divorce by post and include it[2]. If you have more than one fee to pay, you apply separately for each[12].

Before you apply for Help with Fees

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04/ Legal costs

What solicitors charge

The Legal Services Board's 2024 survey of divorce providers in England and Wales gives an idea of the range, as median quoted prices excluding VAT and disbursements such as court fees[3]:

Median quotes for divorce work, Legal Services Board survey 2024
What the solicitor doesMedian quote
Sole divorce, amicable, no children and no assets to split£750
Joint application, amicable, no children and no assets to split£900
Divorce with agreed arrangements for two children£1,450
Divorce with advice on children, a MIAM referral and a financial consent order£3,000
Disputed assets of £518,000, settled by consent after exchanging Forms E£6,000

Excluding VAT and court fees; mediation sessions are not included[3].

Why quotes vary

The survey found London firms significantly more expensive than at least three other regions for every scenario except the simplest, and fixed-fee prices typically lower than estimates or hourly rates[3].

Family law is not on the list of services the SRA Transparency Rules require firms to publish prices for[13]. Ask any firm for a written quote.

05/ Money and property

The cost of sorting out finances

GOV.UK says agreeing how to divide money and property is usually more straightforward and less expensive; you make the agreement binding with a consent order[14]. The court fee for a consent order is £62[4].

If you ask the court to decide, it usually takes longer and costs more; legal fees vary with the adviser's experience and where you live, and the total depends on how many financial dispute resolution appointments you need and whether there is a final hearing[15]. The Form A fee is £321[6].

Before applying on Form A you normally need a MIAM[16]. See MIAMs for financial orders. In financial remedy cases the general rule is that the court does not order one party to pay the other's costs, though it may because of a party's conduct[17].

06/ Mediation

What mediation costs

A MIAM typically costs £120–£150 per person[5]. Mediation sessions are typically £130–£170 per person per hour, including drafting documents[18].

If either of you qualifies for legal aid, the MIAM is free, and legal aid covers the MIAM and first mediation session for both of you[19]. For disputes about children, or finances alongside them, a voucher pays up to £500 towards mediation sessions[20][21]. See mediation cost.

You can apply online with a debit or credit card, or by post on Form D8[22]. The court fee is £628 unless Help with Fees applies[1][2].

08/ Responding

If you are the one receiving the papers

If you dispute the divorce, you file an answer, and the court fee is £240[26][7]. You can only dispute it for a legal reason, such as jurisdiction or the validity of the marriage[26].

If you do not reply, the divorce can still go ahead without you, and you might have to pay extra fees[27]. A judicial separation, which lets you separate without divorcing, has its own fee of £426[28][8]. See how to get a divorce.

09/ Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much does a divorce cost in the UK?

In England and Wales the court fee is £628[1]. Median solicitor quotes in a 2024 survey were £750 for a simple divorce, before VAT and court fees[3].

Can I get help paying the divorce fee?

Yes, if you are on a low income or certain benefits and your savings are under the limit[10][11]. On a joint application you must both apply[2].

Is the divorce fee refundable?

Not after you are sent the notice that the application has been issued[2].

How much does a consent order cost?

The court fee is £62[4]. A solicitor's fee for drafting it is extra, and varies with their experience and location[14].

Does legal aid cover divorce?

Only with specified evidence of domestic abuse or child protection, and if you pass the means and merits tests[23].

How much does it cost to defend a divorce?

The court fee for an answer is £240, and you can only dispute a divorce for a legal reason[7][26].

Is agreeing cheaper than going to court?

GOV.UK says agreeing is usually less expensive, and getting the court to decide usually takes longer and costs more[14][15].

10/ Sources

Sources we checked

  1. The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026 (SI 2026/642), Schedule 3 — legislation.gov.uk
  2. Get a divorce: how to apply — GOV.UK
  3. Prices of Individual Consumer Legal Services in England and Wales 2024, section 3.2 (divorce) — Legal Services Board
  4. The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026 (SI 2026/642), Schedule 3 — legislation.gov.uk
  5. GOV.UK — mediation · FMC State of Family Mediation 2025 (PDF)
  6. The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026 (SI 2026/642), Schedule 3 — legislation.gov.uk
  7. The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026 (SI 2026/642), Schedule 3 — legislation.gov.uk
  8. The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026 (SI 2026/642), Schedule 3 — legislation.gov.uk
  9. Court and tribunal fees — GOV.UK
  10. GOV.UK — Get help with court fees
  11. Get help paying court and tribunal fees — GOV.UK
  12. Get help paying court and tribunal fees — GOV.UK
  13. SRA Transparency Rules — Solicitors Regulation Authority
  14. Money and property when you divorce or separate: if you agree — GOV.UK
  15. Money and property when you divorce or separate: get the court to decide — GOV.UK
  16. Form A (05.26), PDF — HMCTS
  17. Practice Direction 9A, paras 3.3–3.4 and protocol para 25 — justice.gov.uk
  18. FMC — What does mediation cost?
  19. GOV.UK — mediation
  20. GOV.UK — Family Mediation Voucher Scheme · GOV.UK news, May 2026
  21. GOV.UK — voucher scheme guidance · Practice Direction 36V — justice.gov.uk
  22. Get a divorce: how to apply — GOV.UK
  23. Evidence requirements for private family law matters, version 15 (15 June 2026) — Legal Aid Agency · Sample letters to get evidence of domestic abuse — Legal Aid Agency, GOV.UK · Legal aid: domestic abuse — GOV.UK
  24. Legal aid (printable guide) — GOV.UK
  25. Check if you can get legal aid — GOV.UK
  26. Family Procedure Rules, Part 7, rule 7.7 — justice.gov.uk · Form D10 (05.24), acknowledgment of service, PDF — HMCTS
  27. Reply to a divorce application (printable guide) — GOV.UK
  28. Get a legal separation — GOV.UK · Apply for a judicial separation: Form D8S — HMCTS, GOV.UK

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