Divorce Cost Calculator

What does a UK divorce actually cost in 2026?

Every divorce in England and Wales starts with the same fixed cost: a £593 court fee to apply to end the marriage. Beyond that single fixed figure, total cost varies enormously depending on how you and your ex-spouse handle everything else – splitting money and property, agreeing arrangements for children, and whether you need solicitors or a judge involved at all. This calculator focuses specifically on the cost side of divorce: what you can expect to pay for each route, from a fully DIY mutual split through to a fully contested court battle. If you want to work out how your money, pensions and property might actually be split between you, our Divorce Financial Settlement Calculator covers that separately.

The £593 court fee – what it does and doesn't cover

The £593 fee is paid to apply for the divorce itself – the legal act of ending the marriage. It does not cover dividing your finances. Since the no-fault divorce reforms of April 2022, either spouse (or both jointly) can apply simply by stating the marriage has irretrievably broken down, with no need to prove fault. There is a mandatory minimum timeline: a 20-week reflection period from application to conditional order, then a further 6-week wait before the final order can be granted – so the process takes at least 26 weeks (about six months) even in the most straightforward, uncontested case. If you are on a low income or receive certain benefits, you may be able to reduce or fully cover the £593 fee through the government's Help with Fees scheme.

DIY and mutual agreement – the cheapest route

If you and your ex-spouse agree on everything – the divorce itself, how to split money and property, and any children's arrangements – you can apply for the divorce yourselves online through the gov.uk service without a solicitor. Beyond the £593 court fee, your only costs are likely to be modest ones such as document copies or a template-based online agreement. This route keeps total cost close to the £593 fee alone, but it carries a real risk: without a court-approved financial consent order, either of you can bring a financial claim against the other at any point in the future, even many years later.

Mediation – a cheaper middle ground

Family mediation lets you and your ex-spouse work out money and children's arrangements with a trained, neutral mediator instead of opposing solicitors. Before starting court proceedings over children or finances, most people are expected to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM), which typically costs £100 to £180. A full round of mediation sessions to reach a workable agreement commonly totals £700 to £1,400 between you, sometimes split evenly. Mediation only works if both people engage constructively – it is not appropriate in cases involving domestic abuse or a serious power imbalance, both of which qualify for a MIAM exemption.

Solicitor-led, uncontested divorce

Many people use a solicitor even when things are broadly amicable, simply to make sure the paperwork and financial agreement are done correctly. For an uncontested case where a solicitor drafts the application and any consent order but there is no real dispute to fight over, typical solicitor fees run from around £1,000 to £3,000, on top of the £593 court fee and the separate £53 consent order fee if you are formalising a financial agreement. This is usually charged as a fixed fee or a modest number of billed hours, rather than open-ended hourly litigation rates.

Contested divorce – where costs escalate

Costs rise sharply once a case becomes genuinely contested – where you and your ex-spouse cannot agree on the division of assets, spousal maintenance, or arrangements for children, and the matter goes before a judge for a financial remedy hearing or a children's hearing. Contested cases commonly cost £10,000 to £50,000 or more per side in solicitor and barrister fees, and can go substantially higher in cases involving businesses, overseas assets, or multiple court hearings. Solicitors in contested matters typically bill by the hour (roughly £180–£400+ per hour plus VAT depending on seniority and location), so costs are hard to cap in advance – this is one of the strongest financial arguments for trying mediation first wherever it is realistic.

Other costs that can be added on

• Financial consent order: £53 court fee, plus typically £300–£800 for a solicitor or online service to draft it correctly if you are not going fully DIY.
• Pension actuary report (PODE): £500–£1,000, usually required whenever a pension is being shared to work out a fair split.
• Disputed child arrangements: if arrangements for children are contested rather than agreed, expect several thousand pounds in additional solicitor time, rising sharply if the case goes to a full children's hearing.
• Property valuations and conveyancing: if a property needs to be transferred or sold as part of the settlement, add typical conveyancing and valuation fees on top.

Worked examples

Priya and Tom agree on everything and file online themselves with no solicitor. Their only cost is the £593 court fee, split between them – around £297 each.

Deepa and Marcus use two mediation sessions plus a MIAM to agree how to split their savings and a small pension, then a solicitor drafts a consent order. Estimated total: £593 court fee + £150 MIAM + £900 mediation + £53 consent order fee + £500 drafting ≈ £2,200 between them.

Angela and David cannot agree on how to split a family business and go to a contested financial remedy hearing. Angela's solicitor bills £28,000 over 18 months of hearings and negotiations; David's solicitor bills £22,000. Combined with the £593 court fee, their case costs roughly £50,000+ in total – several multiples of what mediation would have cost if agreement had been possible.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a divorce cost in the UK in 2026?

Every divorce pays the same £593 court fee for the divorce application itself. On top of that, a fully DIY, mutually agreed divorce with no solicitor might cost only a few hundred pounds more, a solicitor-led but uncontested case is commonly £1,000 to £3,000 in fees, and a contested case with disputed finances or children can run from £10,000 well into the tens of thousands per side.

What is the UK divorce court fee?

The court fee to apply for a divorce (legally, to end a marriage or civil partnership) in England and Wales is £593. This is separate from any solicitor fees and from the £53 fee to apply for a financial consent order.

Is mediation cheaper than using a solicitor for divorce?

Usually, yes. A Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) typically costs £100 to £180, and a full round of mediation sessions to reach a financial or child arrangements agreement commonly totals £700 to £1,400. That is well below typical solicitor-negotiated fees, though mediation only works if both people are willing to engage constructively.

How much does a contested divorce cost in the UK?

Contested divorces, where finances or children's arrangements are disputed and go before a judge, typically cost from around £10,000 up to £50,000 or more per side in solicitor and barrister fees, depending on how many hearings are needed and how complex the assets are. Costs can climb further in cases involving businesses, overseas assets or expert witnesses.

Do I still need a consent order if we agree on everything?

Yes, it is strongly recommended. Without a court-approved consent order, either ex-spouse can bring a financial claim against the other in future, even many years later. A consent order costs a separate £53 court fee, plus any solicitor drafting costs, and is the only way to make a financial agreement permanently binding.

Can I get help paying the divorce court fee?

Yes. If you are on a low income or receive certain benefits, you may be able to apply for help with court fees through the government's Help with Fees scheme, which can reduce or fully cover the £593 divorce application fee.

Does the £593 fee cover splitting our money and property?

No. The £593 fee only covers the legal process of ending the marriage itself. Dividing money, property and pensions is a separate financial remedy process, usually formalised through a consent order (£53) if you agree, or through contested court proceedings if you do not.

Source: Divorce application (court) fee and the no-fault divorce timeline from GOV.UK – Get a divorce or end a civil partnership; help with court fees from GOV.UK – Help with Fees. Solicitor, mediation and contested-case cost ranges are independent UK market estimates, not official government figures, and vary by firm, region and case complexity.