Ask what a divorce costs and you will get answers ranging from "£593" to "tens of thousands." Both can be right, because the divorce itself and sorting out the money are two completely separate things — and it is the second that drives the bill. Since the no-fault rules arrived in 2022, ending the marriage on paper is cheap and straightforward. Deciding who gets what is where the cost lives. Here is the honest breakdown for England in 2025.
- The divorce court fee is fixed at £593, the same whether you use a solicitor or not.
- A straightforward, agreed divorce can be done yourself for little more than that fee.
- You should still get a financial order (£53 court fee plus legal drafting) — without it, claims can resurface years later.
- Contested cases over money or children are where costs run into the thousands, sometimes far more.
The court fee: a flat £593
The application fee to divorce in England and Wales is £593. It is the same whether you apply on your own or jointly, and whether or not a solicitor is involved. If you are on a low income or certain benefits, the Help with Fees scheme may reduce or waive it. That single fee is the only unavoidable cost of the divorce itself.
The cheapest route: do it yourself
Since the introduction of no-fault divorce, the process is a guided online application with a built-in minimum timeline of about 26 weeks. For a couple who agree, with no complications, there is genuinely nothing stopping you completing it yourselves for just the £593 (plus a few pounds for document copies). No blame, no court hearing, no solicitor required.
Where the real money goes: the finances
Here is the crucial point that catches people out. The divorce does not settle your finances. Ending the marriage and dividing your money, property and pensions are separate legal steps. To make a financial agreement legally binding you need a financial order — often a consent order if you agree — which costs a £53 court fee plus whatever a solicitor charges to draft it (commonly a few hundred to a couple of thousand pounds).
Skipping the financial order is the biggest mistake If you divorce without a sealed financial order, your ex-spouse can bring a financial claim against you — sometimes years later, even after the divorce is final, and even against money you earn afterwards. A famous case saw a claim succeed more than two decades on. Only a court-sealed order gives you a clean break.
What solicitors actually cost
Legal fees are the variable that turns a £600 divorce into a £10,000 one:
| Route | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| DIY, agreed, no solicitor | £593 court fee only |
| Solicitor, uncontested | £600–£1,500 |
| Consent order drafting | £53 court fee + a few hundred to ~£1,500 legal |
| Contested (money or children disputed) | £3,000–£15,000+ each, sometimes much more |
The jump to the bottom row happens when you cannot agree and the matter heads toward court. Every letter, negotiation and hearing adds cost — to both sides. You can sketch your own likely range with the divorce cost calculator.
Mediation: usually far cheaper than fighting
Before most contested financial cases can go to court, you are expected to consider mediation — a trained neutral helping you reach agreement. At roughly £500 or so it is dramatically cheaper than litigation, faster, and tends to leave relationships less scorched, which matters enormously if you share children. It does not work for every couple, but where it does, it can save five figures.
The two things divorce does not include
Two costs sit alongside the divorce and are handled separately:
- Child maintenance — worked out by the Child Maintenance Service formula based on the paying parent's income, number of children and shared care. Estimate it with the child maintenance calculator.
- Dividing assets — the home, savings and pensions, which start from a position of equal sharing and adjust for needs. The financial settlement calculator gives a rough starting point, though real outcomes depend on your circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
It is £593 in England and Wales, regardless of whether you use a solicitor or apply jointly. Fee reductions are available on low incomes through Help with Fees.
Yes. The no-fault process can be completed online yourself, but it is strongly advisable to get legal help with the financial settlement, which the divorce itself does not resolve.
Yes. Only a court-sealed financial order makes your agreement binding and prevents future claims. An informal understanding, however amicable, leaves the door open.
The divorce itself is cheap. Costs escalate when finances or children are disputed and the matter moves toward court, where legal fees on both sides can reach five figures.
The no-fault process has a built-in minimum of about 26 weeks (six months) from application to final order. Sorting out the finances can take longer and is handled in parallel.
Figures are 2025 estimates for England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate processes. Solicitor ranges are indicative — always get written quotes.