It has been reported today that the court fee to issue a divorce petition or a petition to dissolve a civil partnership is set to rise from £550 to £592 later this year.
Petitions to dissolve a marriage or a civil partnership can be made online or on paper. Increasingly people are using the online system as it is generally a quicker and smoother progress. It is also going to be mandatory for family lawyers to use the online service. The fee increase will apply whether a divorce is issued online or on paper. The fee will also increase whether you have a family lawyer assist you with the application or whether you complete the divorce petition yourself. Some people may be eligible for help with court fees, but the majority of people considering a divorce will be liable to pay the full court fee.
The government has announced that “no fault” divorce will be introduced from April 2022 which should help to streamline the divorce process further. However, with more people applying online for a divorce or dissolution, the government has faced criticism as to how they can justify an increased court fee when the online system requires less work from court staff than before.
For advice on issuing divorce proceedings, dissolving a civil partnership, or delaying a divorce/ dissolution to obtain a no fault divorce please speak to one of our specialist family lawyers.
