Divorce Solicitors
Starting a divorce is straightforward. Protecting your finances and your children is not.
Under the no-fault divorce process introduced in 2020, ending a marriage is now simpler — but financial settlement and child arrangements require separate legal proceedings. Getting these right from the start avoids costly disputes later. A specialist solicitor will explain exactly what applies to your situation.
What You Need to Know
Divorce in England and Wales — the key facts before you begin.
The divorce process and the financial process are entirely separate. Many people focus on one and neglect the other — which can have lasting consequences.
No-fault divorce — no blame required
Since April 2022, divorce no longer requires one party to blame the other. Either spouse — or both jointly — can apply on the basis that the marriage has irretrievably broken down. This removes the adversarial element from the divorce process itself, though financial and child proceedings can still be contested.
Minimum 6-month timeline
There is a mandatory 20-week reflection period after the conditional order application, followed by a further 6 weeks before the final divorce order can be applied for. The total minimum is approximately 6 months, but financial proceedings running in parallel often take longer and may delay when the final order is sought.
Financial claims survive divorce
Obtaining a final divorce order does not automatically end financial claims between spouses. Without a financial consent order approved by a court, either party can bring financial claims — including pension claims — years or even decades later. A consent order is essential once financial terms are agreed, and a clean break order removes all future risk.
One-year bar on divorce applications
You cannot apply for divorce until you have been married for at least one year. If you are within that first year, a solicitor can advise on separation, financial protection, and child arrangements in the interim — and prepare the divorce application for the earliest possible date.
The financial settlement is where most disputes arise
Division of the matrimonial home, pensions, savings, business interests, and spousal maintenance are all covered by the financial proceedings. Courts have wide discretion and will apply the Section 25 factors — needs, contributions, length of marriage, standard of living. How assets are characterised and presented makes a significant difference to the outcome.
Child arrangements are separate proceedings
Decisions about where children live and how they spend time with each parent are dealt with in separate Children Act proceedings — not the divorce. A solicitor can run financial and child arrangements matters concurrently, coordinating timelines to reach resolution as efficiently as possible.