Family law · Divorce
Divorce and separation, handled gently
No-fault divorce has made ending a marriage simpler on paper. The decisions around it, about money, the home and the children, still deserve careful advice.
“We're separating, and I don't know where to start.”
Where most of our clients begin
Since April 2022, nobody has to be blamed for a marriage ending in England and Wales. You, or the two of you jointly, simply confirm that the marriage has broken down irretrievably, and the court process follows a fixed timetable.
The divorce itself is rarely the hard part. The harder questions are what happens to the home, pensions and savings, and how the children's lives will work across two households. We help you settle those calmly, and make sure any agreement is legally binding before the divorce is finalised.
How we help
- Sole or joint divorce applications, start to finish
- Financial settlements and consent orders
- Dealing with the family home, pensions and savings
- Negotiation and mediation before any court hearing
- Representation in financial remedy proceedings
- Separation agreements if you are not ready to divorce
The process
How a no-fault divorce unfolds
The timetable is set by law. Enter the date your application was issued to see the earliest dates for each stage.
Dates are the earliest the law allows. Real cases usually take longer, because court processing and financial settlements add time.
- 1
Day one
Application issued
You apply online, alone or jointly. The court issues the application and, in a sole application, sends it to your spouse.
- 2
20 weeks
20-week reflection period
A pause set by law, to reflect, and the right time to work out finances and arrangements for the children.
- 3
From week 20
Conditional order
You confirm you wish to continue. Once a judge is satisfied, the conditional order is pronounced. Court processing adds time here.
- 4
From ~week 26
Final order
From 6 weeks and 1 day after the conditional order, you can apply for the final order. When it is made, you are divorced.
Running alongside
Finances and the children. These are settled separately from the divorce itself. Most people aim to have a financial order approved before applying for the final order, because the final order can affect pension and inheritance rights.
FAQs
Divorce & Separation: your questions
Still unsure? A ten-minute call usually settles it.
What is a no-fault divorce?
Since 6 April 2022, couples in England and Wales can divorce without either person blaming the other. You state that the marriage has broken down irretrievably, and that statement is conclusive. The other spouse can only dispute the divorce on narrow grounds, such as the court's jurisdiction.
How long does a divorce take?
There is a 20-week wait between the application being issued and applying for the conditional order, and at least 6 weeks and 1 day between the conditional order and the final order. That makes about 26 weeks the legal minimum. In practice, court processing and sorting out finances often make it longer.
Should we sort out finances before the final order?
Usually, yes. Ending the marriage can affect pension and inheritance rights, so many people wait until a financial order is approved before applying for the final order. Without a financial order, either of you may be able to make financial claims in future, even years later.
What is a consent order?
A consent order turns the financial agreement you have reached into a court order, so it is legally binding and can be enforced. A judge must approve it as fair. We strongly recommend one even when a separation is amicable.
How is the family home dealt with?
Common outcomes are a sale with the proceeds divided, one of you buying the other out, or a delayed sale, often until the children are older. The right answer depends on housing needs, especially the children's, and on what each of you can afford.