Key facts
- Court fee
- £593 for the divorce application
- Uncontested divorce
- £800-£1,500 total (including court fee)
- With financial consent order
- £1,500-£3,000 total
- Contested finances
- £10,000-£30,000+ each
The essential costs
Every divorce in England and Wales involves certain unavoidable costs:
Court fee: £593
This covers the processing of your divorce application, from initial submission through to the final order. You pay it once when you submit your application.
The fee is the same whether you apply online or by post, and whether you apply jointly with your spouse or on your own.
Help with the court fee
If you’re on a low income or receiving certain benefits, you may qualify for fee remission – a reduction or complete waiver of the court fee. You can apply for this when you submit your divorce application. You’ll need to provide details of your income, savings, and any benefits you receive.Financial consent order: £53
If you reach agreement with your spouse about how to divide your finances, you’ll need a consent order to make it legally binding. The court fee for this is £53.
While this isn’t strictly mandatory, getting a consent order is strongly recommended. Without one, either of you could make financial claims against the other in the future – even years after the divorce.
What affects the total cost?
Beyond the basic court fees, your total costs depend on several factors:
How much legal help you need
Doing it yourself: If your divorce is straightforward and you’re comfortable with paperwork, you can handle the application without professional help. Your cost: £593 court fee only.
Online divorce services: Companies offer packages to manage the paperwork for you, typically for £200-£500 plus the court fee. Good for straightforward cases where you want some support but not full legal representation.
Solicitor handling the divorce only: If you want a solicitor to manage the divorce application but you’ll handle finances separately, expect to pay £500-£1,500 plus the court fee.
Solicitor handling everything: Full legal support including the divorce application, financial negotiations, and consent order typically costs £2,000-£5,000 for straightforward cases.
Whether you agree on finances
This is where costs can escalate dramatically.
You agree on everything: Straightforward drafting of a consent order adds £300-£800 in legal fees.
You mostly agree but need help: Negotiation through solicitors or mediation might cost £1,500-£5,000.
You can’t agree and need court: Financial remedy proceedings (where a judge decides how to divide your assets) typically cost £10,000-£30,000 per person, and can exceed £50,000 in complex cases.
The complexity of your finances
Simple cases (modest savings, rented home, no pensions) cost less because there’s less to divide and value.
Complex cases involving any of the following will cost more:
- Property, especially multiple properties
- Pensions (which need to be valued by an actuary)
- Business interests (requiring expert valuation)
- Overseas assets
- Trusts or inherited wealth
- Disputed debts
Where your solicitor is based
Legal fees vary significantly by location. London solicitors typically charge £300-£500+ per hour, while those in other regions might charge £150-£300 per hour.
Fixed-fee packages are increasingly common for divorce work and can offer better value and cost certainty.
Typical cost scenarios
Here’s what different situations might cost in total:
Amicable divorce, simple finances
You both agree to divorce and have already sorted out who gets what. No significant assets.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Court fee | £593 |
| Online divorce service | £200-£400 |
| Basic consent order | £300-£500 |
| Total | £1,100-£1,500 |
Amicable divorce, needs negotiation
You agree to divorce but need help reaching agreement on finances. Modest assets including a home.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Court fee | £593 |
| Solicitor (divorce + consent order) | £1,500-£3,000 |
| Mediation (3-4 sessions) | £600-£1,200 |
| Total | £2,700-£4,800 |
Contested finances, average complexity
You can’t agree on finances and one or both of you applies to court. Family home and pensions to divide.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Court fee | £593 |
| Financial remedy court fee | £275 |
| Solicitor fees | £15,000-£25,000 |
| Barrister (if needed) | £3,000-£8,000 |
| Pension actuary | £500-£1,500 |
| Total | £19,000-£35,000 |
High-value contested case
Significant assets, complex financial structures, full court proceedings to final hearing.
Total: £50,000-£100,000+ per person
Ways to reduce costs
Consider a joint application
When you apply together, there’s only one court fee and the process is more straightforward.
Use mediation
At £100-£200 per hour (split between you), mediation is far cheaper than solicitor negotiations or court proceedings. Most couples reach agreement within 3-5 sessions.
The government also offers a £500 voucher towards mediation for arrangements involving children.
Be organised
Gather documents promptly, respond quickly to requests, and provide clear instructions. Time wasted on chasing information is time you’re paying for.
Choose fixed fees where possible
Many solicitors offer fixed-fee packages for divorce applications and consent orders. This gives you certainty about costs.
Do what you can yourself
You can handle the divorce application yourself and just pay a solicitor to draft the consent order. Or handle everything except complex pension or property matters.
Stay out of court
The single biggest factor in divorce costs is whether your finances end up in court. Mediation, collaborative law, or straightforward negotiation are all vastly cheaper than litigation.
Don't cut corners on finances
While it’s tempting to save money by not getting a consent order, this can be a false economy. Without one, your ex-spouse could make financial claims years later – including against assets you acquire after the divorce. The £53 court fee and legal costs to prepare a consent order are well worth the protection they provide.Who pays?
Court fees
The person who submits the divorce application pays the £593 fee. For joint applications, you can decide between you who pays or split it.
Legal fees
Generally, each person pays their own solicitor. Unlike some other types of legal case, the “loser” in divorce proceedings doesn’t usually have to pay the other side’s costs.
However, if one person behaves unreasonably during proceedings – for example, refusing reasonable offers or hiding assets – the court can order them to pay some of the other person’s costs.
Can my spouse pay my costs?
You can ask your spouse to contribute to your legal costs, but they’re not obliged to agree. In cases of significant financial imbalance, one spouse paying the other’s costs might be factored into the overall financial settlement.
Getting help with costs
Legal aid
Legal aid for divorce is limited but available if you’ve experienced domestic abuse or there are child protection concerns. You’ll need to provide evidence and meet financial eligibility criteria. Learn more about legal aid.
Fee remission
If you’re on a low income, you can apply to have the court fee reduced or waived entirely.
Fixed-fee services
Many solicitors and online services offer fixed fees for straightforward divorces, giving you cost certainty.
Unbundled legal services
Some solicitors offer “pay as you go” services where you handle parts of the process yourself and just pay for specific advice or document drafting.
Find a solicitor
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