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To get a divorce in the UK, you must have been married for at least one year and meet certain residency requirements. This includes situations where you were married abroad but have since settled in the UK and now wish to divorce here. The process begins by deciding whether to apply for divorce alone or jointly with your spouse, then submitting a divorce application (this can usually be completed online) along with your marriage certificate and paying the court fee. If you apply alone, the court sends your spouse the paperwork, which they must acknowledge.

There is a mandatory 20-week reflection period after the application is issued, giving both parties time to consider arrangements for finances, housing and/or children. After this period, you apply for a Conditional Order (previously called Decree Nisi), and following a further six-week waiting period, you can apply for the Final Order (previously Decree Absolute), which legally ends the marriage. The process is now “no-fault,” meaning you do not need to prove fault, and most divorces are handled online without the need to attend court unless there are disputes about finances or child custody.

To file for divorce in the UK, you are required to complete the relevant divorce application form (Form D8), which requires details about both parties and the respective marriage. You must provide your original marriage certificate or a certified copy; if the certificate is not in English, a certified translation is also required. Moreover, if you or your spouse have changed names since the marriage, you should include documentary evidence of the name change, such as a deed poll certificate.

Additional supporting documents may be needed if referenced in your application, such as evidence of your legal connection to the UK or information about previous or ongoing court proceedings related to your marriage. While most applications are now submitted online, you may be asked to upload digital copies of these documents, but you should keep the originals, as the court may request to see them during the process. Proof of identification and residence may also be required in certain circumstances, particularly if there are international matters involved.

Divorce proceedings in the UK take at least six months to be finalised, even if your circumstances are non-complex. However, it can take significantly longer if issues around finances, children, and property remain unresolved.  Such matters are often resolved independently of the divorce or dissolution.

Yes, you can file for a divorce in the UK even if you’re unaware of your spouse’s whereabouts. However, it requires demonstrating to the court that you’ve made diligent and ample efforts to locate them, such as contacting family, searching online, and possibly hiring a tracing agent. If the aforementioned attempts fail, you can apply for “substituted service” to serve papers via alternative methods or request the court to “dispense with service” altogether. These procedures allow the divorce to proceed without directly notifying your spouse, though this requires a formal application and detailed statement of your attempts, as well as the court’s approval to ensure all reasonable steps have been taken before going ahead with the divorce in their absence.

As of 2025, in England and Wales, the only legal ground for divorce is the “irretrievable breakdown of the marriage”. This means you no longer need to prove specific faults such as adultery or unreasonable behaviour; simply stating that the marriage has irretrievably broken down is sufficient to start divorce proceedings. This change reflects the move to a “no-fault” divorce system, simplifying the process and reducing the need for conflict between parties.

The only requirements are as follows: 

1. You must have been married for at least one year.
2. Your marriage must be legally recognised in the UK.
3. The relationship must have permanently broken down.

In a UK divorce, marital property is divided based on what the court deems just, with the starting point often being a 50/50 split, especially after a long marriage, but this is not a strict rule and is open to variation. The court has wide discretion and will consider a range of factors set out in Section 25 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, including each party’s income, earning capacity, property, financial needs, responsibilities, the standard of living during the marriage, age, duration of the marriage, any physical or mental disability, and the contributions (both financial and non-financial) made by each party during the marriage.

The welfare and needs of any dependent children are given foremost importance, and the court may deviate from an equal split to ensure their needs are met. The court can order the sale or transfer of property, pension sharing, lump sum payments, and spousal maintenance, tailoring the settlement to the precise circumstances of the case. Ultimately, there are no rigid rules, and each divorce settlement is decided individually to achieve a fair outcome for all parties involved.

A financial consent order is a legally binding court document that sets out how you and your ex-partner will divide money, property, pensions, and other assets after a divorce. You need one to make your financial agreement enforceable and to prevent either party from making future claims. Without a consent order, either of you could return to court for more money later, even years after the divorce. We would strongly advocate for a consent order if you want financial certainty and finality after your divorce. It also avoids the need for contested court proceedings, helping you save significant time, stress, and legal costs.

Spousal maintenance in the UK is calculated on a case-by-case basis, as there is no set formula; courts or parties consider factors such as each spouse’s income, earning capacity, financial needs, standard of living during the marriage, and ability to become self-sufficient, aiming for a fair outcome based on the specific circumstances. In contrast, child support is calculated using a statutory formula set by the Child Maintenance Service, which takes into account the paying parent’s gross income, the number of children, and the amount of time the children spend overnight with each parent. Spousal maintenance is discretionary and only awarded if one spouse cannot reasonably support themselves, while child support is a legal obligation whenever children are involved.

You can protect your assets during a divorce in the UK by using tools such as prenuptial or postnuptial agreements, which, while not automatically legally binding, are often upheld by courts if they are fair and properly prepared. Setting up trusts, keeping pre-marital and inherited assets separate from joint finances, and structuring business interests carefully can also help, though courts may scrutinise these arrangements to ensure they are genuine and not simply attempts to hide assets. Ultimately, the court has wide discretion to divide all assets fairly, so early legal advice and transparent financial planning are crucial for the best protection.