Guides

Plain-English guides to UK divorce, finances, and forms.

Costs & PlanningGuide 01

Cheap Divorce UK: How to Save Money in 2026

How to avoid overspending, without going fully DIY.

Financial DisclosureGuide 02

Form E Explained: How to Complete It Properly

What Form E is, why it matters, and the common mistakes to avoid.

Common PitfallsGuide 03

DIY Divorce Mistakes That Cost People Thousands

The five costly mistakes to avoid, and the smarter hybrid alternative.

The LawGuide 04

No-Fault Divorce UK: The Complete Guide (2026)

What changed in April 2022, how the process works, costs, timelines and what most people miss.

Divorce RoutesGuide 05

Mediation, Solicitors or DIY? Choosing the Right Divorce Route for Your Situation

Compare the three main divorce routes in England & Wales, with a cost and stress comparison table.

Financial DisclosureGuide 06

What Bank Statements Do You Need for Form E?

Exactly which statements, how many months, and what to do about closed or incomplete accounts.

Financial DisclosureGuide 07

Form E Deadlines: How Long Do You Have?

The 35-day rule, the FDA timeline, and what happens if you miss the deadline.

Financial DisclosureGuide 08

Form E Pensions: How to Value and Declare Yours

How to find pensions, request CETVs, and the three ways pensions are dealt with in a settlement.

Financial DisclosureGuide 09

What Happens If Your Ex Doesn't Complete Form E?

Court powers, enforcement options, and how non-disclosure affects a financial settlement.

Divorce ProcessGuide 10

What Happens After You Apply for Divorce Online?

A step-by-step guide to every stage after you submit your application, from issue to final order.

Divorce ProcessGuide 11

What Is the Conditional Order in Divorce?

What the conditional order means, when it is granted, and what to do before the final order.

Divorce ProcessGuide 12

What Is the Final Order in Divorce?

What the final order means, when to apply for it, and why you should not rush it.

Divorce ProcessGuide 13

Can You Change a Divorce Application After Submitting It?

What can and cannot be changed after submission, and what to do if you made a mistake.

Divorce ProcessGuide 14

Can You Do Your Own Divorce Without a Solicitor?

When DIY divorce works, when it does not, and what you need to do it safely.

Financial DisclosureGuide 15

Form E Property Section: What You Need to Include

What valuations you need, how to handle mortgages, and what happens to the family home.

Financial DisclosureGuide 16

Form E Business Assets: How to Declare a Business

What valuations are needed, which documents to attach, and how courts treat business assets in a divorce settlement.

Financial DisclosureGuide 17

Form E Debts: What Counts and How to List Them

Which debts must be declared, how to list them, and how courts treat liabilities in a financial settlement.

Financial DisclosureGuide 18

Do Both Parties Have to Complete Form E?

When both spouses must file Form E, and what happens in consent order cases where finances are already agreed.

Financial DisclosureGuide 19

Form E Common Mistakes That Delay Financial Proceedings

The most common Form E mistakes that cause delays, adjournments and costs orders, and how to avoid them.

Divorce RoutesGuide 20

GOV.UK Divorce vs DivorceCompanion: What's the Difference?

GOV.UK is where you file. DivorceCompanion guides you through everything else: the three routes through divorce in England and Wales, clearly explained.

Assisted DIY DivorceGuide 21

DivorceCompanion: What the Platform Does and Who It's For

Plain-English overview of the platform, the product range, and who the assisted DIY route is suitable for.

Assisted DIY DivorceGuide 22

The Assisted DIY Divorce Route: What It Is and How Much It Saves

How the hybrid route differs from full DIY and full solicitor engagement, who it suits, and where it stops being right.

Assisted DIY DivorceGuide 23

How Much Does Divorce Cost in England and Wales?

Full 2026 cost breakdown: court fees, solicitor rates, DivorceCompanion pricing, and Help with Fees.

Online Divorce ToolsGuide 24

Form E Online: Complete Financial Disclosure Without a Solicitor

A digital platform for completing Form E online: all 28 sections, auto-save, auto-calculation, court-ready PDF, £99 one-off.

Online Divorce ToolsGuide 25

D81 Builder Online: What It Is and How DivorceCompanion Helps

A digital platform for completing the D81 Statement of Information online: auto-save, auto-calculation, court-ready PDF. Included in the Amicable Bundle.

Online Divorce ToolsGuide 26

Divorce Stage Dashboard: Track Your Progress Without a Solicitor

A digital platform that tracks every stage of the no-fault divorce process with auto-save and online forms. Always know what you have done, what is active, and what comes next.

Financial SettlementGuide 27

What Is a Fair Division of Assets in Divorce?

How courts in England and Wales decide what is fair: the section 25 factors, what equal split actually means, and why needs always come first.

Financial SettlementGuide 28

What Is a Consent Order in Divorce?

The court-sealed document that makes your financial agreement legally binding, and why you need one even if you agree on everything.

Financial SettlementGuide 29

What Is a Clean Break Order in Divorce?

Permanently severs all future financial claims: why it matters even when there are no significant assets.

Financial SettlementGuide 30

How Is the Family Home Dealt With in Divorce?

Sale, transfer, or Mesher order: the three main outcomes and how courts decide what happens to the property.

Financial SettlementGuide 31

Pension Sharing Orders Explained

How pension sharing orders work, when they are used instead of offsetting, and what happens after an order is made.

No-Fault DivorceGuide 32

The 20-Week Reflection Period: What You Should Be Doing

The mandatory wait is not dead time: exactly what to use it for, from CETVs and bank statements to mediation and will updates.

No-Fault DivorceGuide 33

Joint vs Sole No-Fault Divorce Application: Which Should You Choose?

The practical differences between a joint and sole application, what each means in practice, and which suits your situation.

No-Fault DivorceGuide 34

Can My Spouse Stop a No-Fault Divorce?

Under the 2022 law a spouse cannot contest a divorce on grounds of disagreement; here is what they can and cannot do.

No-Fault DivorceGuide 35

Can You Get a No-Fault Divorce If Your Spouse Won't Respond?

What happens when a spouse ignores the application, refuses to acknowledge service, or cannot be located, and how the divorce proceeds anyway.

No-Fault DivorceGuide 36

No-Fault Divorce and Your Financial Settlement: What People Get Wrong

Getting a no-fault divorce does not settle your finances. Here is what people get wrong, and what you must do separately.

Children & DivorceGuide 37

Children & Divorce: Complete Guide for England and Wales

A plain-English overview of children and no-fault divorce: parental responsibility, arrangements, court orders, parenting plans, school holidays and more.

Children & DivorceGuide 38

What Happens to Children During Divorce?

Both parents keep parental responsibility through divorce. Arrangements for children are handled separately from the divorce itself — here is what to expect.

Children & DivorceGuide 39

Parenting Plans Explained

What a parenting plan is, how to create one, and when it is binding or advisory. The informal route most families take before considering a court order.

Children & DivorceGuide 40

Child Arrangements Order Explained

The court order setting out where a child lives and the time they spend with each parent — what it covers, when you need one, and how to apply.

Children & DivorceGuide 41

50/50 Child Arrangements Explained

What equal time-sharing actually means in practice, when it works, and the practical considerations around school, transitions and finances.

Children & DivorceGuide 42

Can a Child Choose Which Parent to Live With?

A child's wishes matter but cannot automatically decide where they live. How courts weigh a child's views alongside other welfare factors.

Children & DivorceGuide 43

School Holidays After Divorce

How holiday time is divided, transition days, term-date planning, and how to keep school holidays predictable for the children.

Children & DivorceGuide 44

What If My Ex Won't Let Me See My Child?

If your ex is breaching arrangements or preventing contact — enforcement options, court remedies, and what to do before going to court.

Children & DivorceGuide 45

Introducing a New Partner After Divorce

Your rights and responsibilities when introducing a new partner to your child — what the other parent can and cannot object to.

Financial SettlementGuide 46

How Much Does a Consent Order Cost in the UK?

What a Consent Order actually costs in 2026: the £62 court fee, drafting options from £99 to £1,500+, and how to keep the cost down without cutting corners.

Financial SettlementGuide 47

Can You Get a Consent Order Without a Solicitor?

You do not need a solicitor to get a Consent Order in England & Wales. What you actually need, when DIY is the right call, and when to still get one-off legal advice.

Financial SettlementGuide 48

How to Write a Consent Order: Step-by-Step (UK)

The structure of a UK Financial Consent Order — heading, recitals, undertakings, order paragraphs for property, pensions, lump sums, maintenance and clean break — and how to draft each one.

Financial SettlementGuide 49

How to Submit Your Consent Order to Court

The exact filing steps after your draft is signed: D81, Form A cover, £62 fee, court address, HMCTS Financial Remedies portal, and what to expect from the judge.

Financial SettlementGuide 50

Consent Order Rejected by the Court — What Happens Next?

The common reasons a judge sends a Consent Order back, whether you lose the £62 fee, and how to amend and resubmit without redoing the whole process.

Financial SettlementGuide 51

Do You Need Form E for a Consent Order?

When Form E is required, when D81 alone is enough, and how the decision depends on whether the divorce is contested. Straight answers for the amicable route.

Financial SettlementGuide 52

How Long Does a Consent Order Take to Be Approved?

The realistic HMCTS timeline from filing to seal: typical four-to-eight weeks, what delays it, and what "returned" versus "sealed" actually means.

Financial SettlementGuide 53

Consent Order Checklist: What Information You Need Before You Start

A single checklist of every figure, date, account and clause you need before drafting a Consent Order, so you finish the builder in one sitting.

Assisted DIY Divorce for England & Wales

© 2026 NovaColab Ltd. Company No. 17117292.
DivorceCompanion is a trading name of NovaColab Ltd.
England & Wales · Not legal advice

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DivorceCompanion provides general information and digital tools. It is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.

General information only · not legal advice · England & Wales · © 2026 NovaColab Ltd (Company No. 17117292) · DivorceCompanion is a trading name of NovaColab Ltd

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