Our Blogs

Edit: At time of edit, in 2018, court fees have risen again to £550

In this age of austerity, it should come as no surprise that it is the cost of divorce that is the most prominent of concerns amongst those looking to end their marriages. Unfortunately, as with many purchases, it is difficult to state an exact price without knowing precisely what a would-be buyer is looking for or without having gathered the relevant information. Nevertheless, by following a few set rules, it is indeed possible to prevent your divorce from costing you a small fortune irrespective of whether both spouses are in full agreement to the divorce, if no agreement of any kind has been reached or anything in between. The first opportunity for saving that we will be discussing are court fees. When seeking a divorce, it is necessary for all applications to go through a county court and this court will charge a fee to cover their costs as a result. Whilst this cost can be as high as £410, however, many people are entitled to have these fees reduced or, in some circumstances, waived completely. In order to be entitled to a discount, though, the applicant (and their partner, if applicable) will need to have less than £3,000 worth of disposable capital, such as money held in savings accounts, stocks and shares or second homes. Provided that the individual clears this first hurdle, then they will be entitled to a reduction in the court’s fees if their monthly income before tax is less than £1,905. This figure will rise by £160 if the applicant lives as part of a couple (in which case both their and their partner’s income will be taken into account) and by £245 for each dependent child that resides with them. In order to determine the exact discount, simply add the figures for your partner and any dependent children (if either are applicable) to the £1,905 figure then deduct your (and, if applicable, your partner’s) monthly earnings before tax including any additional income received from benefits, rents etc. If you then divide the resulting figure by two, this will be the fee that you will be required to pay the court. If the figure is below £1,085 (again you can add to this if you have children or live with a partner) then you will not need to pay anything. Furthermore, no fees will be due to the court if you receive any of the benefits listed on page 17 of this booklet. Should you and your spouse be unable to agree on whether or not to divorce, or are simply unable to agree on how to divide your assets, then it highly advisable that you instruct a solicitor. Whilst this is likely to prove more mostly than utilising an online divorce provider (which is feasible when both parties agree to the matters listed previously) there are still steps that you can take to limit your costs and prevent them from spiralling out of control. Firstly, whilst many solicitors still charge by the hour, more and more are starting to offer their services on a fixed fee basis. In some instances, you may even be able to negotiate a fixed cost with a solicitor that only advertises hourly fees if you put forward a proposal. Be wary, however, as you may find that fees are added without your knowledge so make sure that you know precisely what your solicitor will be charging and what, if anything, will result in them making alterations to their initial quote. This brings us on neatly to our next point: do not be afraid to complain to your solicitor if you are in any way dissatisfied. Remember that you are a paying customer and that you have every right to express your disappointment – whether this stems from the fees that you have been charged or anything else – and request remuneration if you feel it is appropriate. We understand that the prospect of challenging a legal professional can be daunting so, if you feel this way, then seek some free advice from your local Citizen’s Advice Bureau beforehand and you’ll feel much more prepared. Equally important is that you and your spouse remain in contact and continue to try and agree matters without your solicitors’ involvement if at all possible. Remember that the less that your representatives are required to do, the less they will be able to charge you for. It’s best to leave it to them if you and your spouse are at each other’s throats, though. Oh, and if you think that you need to speak to your lawyer think long and hard before picking up the phone; unless you’ve agreed a fixed fee beforehand, you’ll be charged for every second of their time that you take up. Finally, if you and your spouse agree on all contentious matters and are happy to complete your own legal paperwork, then you can file for your own divorce and, if you’re exempt from the court’s fees, not pay a penny. For those that would like extra help for a reasonable cost, though, there’s always Quickie Divorce.

Ask a solicitor how much a divorce costs and you’re likely to get a protracted and convoluted answer about variables, uncertainties and it ultimately not being possible to determine the final cost until everything’s done and dusted. 

Now, if you’re talking about a complicated, contested divorce that will involve the divisions of assets, then this is actually a reasonable and accurate response. When the couple both agree to it, however, this really isn’t the case.

Over the past few years, astute individuals have noticed that couples that consent to divorce were, to put it bluntly, being overcharged by solicitors and setup companies offering low-cost divorce solutions online as a result.

Quickie Divorce are one of these companies. We have, over the years, assisted more than 150,000 couples who agreed that they wanted to legally end their marriages – as well as on how to divide their joint assets – because we recognised both that people were paying excessive fees and that, thanks to modern technology, more efficient processes and procedures could be utilised to further drive down the cost of divorce. As a result, our services start at just £37. 

There are additional costs to consider, however. Whenever a divorce is filed, the court requests a fee of £550 be paid to them directly. This fee has steadily increased over the past few years (the most recent increase was a staggering £140) and is widely expected to continue to grow. The good news is that you may be entitled to help with these fees (or may not need to pay them at all) under certain circumstances.

If, for example, you receive income-based Jobseekers Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Universal Credit or Pension Credit and earn less than £1,085 per month before tax (£1,285 if you live with your partner), then you’ll get help with these fees. Additionally, you can add £245 to this figure for every dependent child (a child that is under the age of 16 (19 if they are in full time education)) that lives with you. Further information on court fees and exemptions can be found here.

Additionally, you should consider additional costs that, whilst not associated with the process of obtaining the divorce itself, you’re likely to accrue as a result such as, for example, moving home.

If you and your spouse agree to a divorce, you could save hundreds of pounds with Quickie Divorce. Get in touch with us by clicking here today.