No-fault divorce is perfectly designed for family mediation

Stages of divorce UK

No-fault divorce offers the opportunity for you and your partner to start the divorce process together, leaving neither of you feeling at a disadvantage, from the outset.

It may seem symbolic but symbolism can be very powerful, in this case offering you the chance to end your marriage together, having begun this journey together.

I completely understand of course why applying for a divorce together may feel very challenging especially if you and your former partner are feeling very differently about whether the marriage is over.

I write about this emotional challenge in much more detail in the Divorce Manual.

Fair divorce settlement examples in UK

Having started your divorce journey together, the divorce process then builds in 5 months for you and your former partner to work out a fair financial divorce settlement and child arrangements together in mediation, before you both then apply for the first divorce order, the conditional order (previously known as the Decree Nisi)

You then have a further one and a half moths before you can apply together for the final divorce order (previously known as the Decree Absolute).

During this one-and-a-half-month period, whilst you are waiting to apply for your final divorce order together, and having reached your mediated financial settlement, you can ask the Judge to make your financial settlement binding, with a Consent order.

Again, I write much more about how to obtain a fair financial settlement and binding financial order in the Divorce Manual.

How long does it take to get a divorce in the UK

Therefore, after six and a half months in total, you can have in place a binding financial order and child arrangements, most of which you have done yourselves.

Family mediation costs

At this stage, you can apply together for your final divorce order and all this can cost each of you under £2000, including the divorce fees, if you are able to make the most of mediation and the online divorce process.

This assumes of course that you don’t qualify for legal aid for family mediation, in which mediation will be free.

All this is why I believe that mediation is perfectly designed for a no-fault divorce and a no-fault divorce is perfectly designed for mediation because mediation has one overriding objective and that is to help and support you and your former partner to reach important decisions together for yourselves and your children, when your marriage comes to an end.

To find out how you can do this and start the process please speak to a mediator.

They will assess whether mediation is suitable for you, your former partner and your situation.

You may be pleasantly surprised.

Good luck.