⚠ The problem with going fully DIY
A fully DIY divorce is possible but demanding. It requires significant information gathering from multiple free government websites, understanding the correct sequencing of two separate legal processes, knowing which forms to use and when, and completing financial disclosure accurately. Most people underestimate what is involved. The process is not just paperwork, the consequences of getting it wrong, particularly around the Consent Order, can last decades. Full DIY leaves you exposed in ways that are not always obvious until it is too late.
💡 The Consent Order is not optional, even if finances are agreed
One of the most common misunderstandings in amicable divorces is that a verbal or written agreement between the two parties is sufficient. It is not. A Consent Order must be drafted by a qualified professional and sealed by the court to be legally binding. Without it, either party can make financial claims against the other indefinitely, even years after the divorce is finalised. The court fee is £60. The drafting cost is £200 to £500. That is a small price to close the door permanently.
1
Not getting a Consent Order at all
This is the single most expensive mistake. Couples agree finances informally, property split, pension arrangement, who keeps what, shake hands on it and move on. Without a sealed Consent Order, that agreement is not legally binding. Either party can go back on it, or make fresh financial claims years or even decades later.
The real cost: The case of Wyatt v Vince is the most well-known example, a financial claim was brought almost 20 years after divorce because no Consent Order existed. The respondent had since become a multi-millionaire. No Consent Order meant the door was still open.
The fix: The court fee to submit a Consent Order is £60. A professional drafting service charges £200 to £500 for a straightforward case. That is the total cost of closing the door on financial claims permanently. It is one of the best-value legal documents you will ever pay for.
2
Trying to write the Consent Order yourself
Courts in England and Wales almost always reject self-written Consent Orders. The document must use specific legal wording, cover specific provisions, and be structured in a way that satisfies the court's requirements for approval. Most people who attempt this end up having their order rejected and needing to instruct a solicitor or drafting service anyway, at additional cost and delay.
The real cost: Rejected self-written orders require resubmission. If the rejection causes a delay beyond the Final Order, certain protections may be lost. The cost of fixing a rejected order is often higher than the cost of getting it done properly in the first place.
The fix: Use a fixed-fee professional drafting service or a fixed-fee family solicitor. You do not need full solicitor engagement, just someone to draft the legal document from your agreed terms. Expect £200 to £500 for a straightforward case.
3
Applying for the Final Order before the Consent Order is sealed
The Final Order is the document that legally ends the marriage. Many people apply for it as soon as they can, six weeks and one day after the Conditional Order, without realising that the timing relative to the financial settlement matters significantly.
The real cost: Applying for the Final Order before the Consent Order is sealed can remove certain financial protections. In some cases it can affect your entitlement to claim against a spouse's pension on their death. Once the Final Order is granted, some of these protections cannot be restored.
The fix: Wait until your Consent Order is sealed by the court before applying for the Final Order. This is one of the most important sequencing decisions in the entire process, and one of the least publicised.
4
Not requesting pension CETVs early enough
Pensions are often the most valuable asset in a divorce, sometimes more valuable than the family home. But to know what you are dealing with, you need a Cash Equivalent Transfer Value (CETV) from every pension provider for both parties. Most people leave this until they are in the middle of the process and then discover it takes up to 3 months to arrive.
The real cost: Waiting for pension CETVs delays the entire settlement process. If you are working to a court deadline, arriving without CETV figures is a serious problem that can result in adjournments and additional legal costs. People who agree a financial settlement without knowing the pension values may also agree to terms that are not in their interest.
The fix: Write to every pension provider for both parties at the very start of the process. Do it now if you have not already. Allow 3 months. The letter should request a CETV for the purposes of divorce proceedings, providers know what this means.
5
Not understanding that divorce and financial settlement are separate
This is the most common source of confusion. Divorce and financial settlement are two completely separate legal processes in England and Wales. They have different forms, different stages, different timelines, and must be handled independently. Most people discover this when they think they are done, their Conditional Order has been granted, they feel divorced, and then they find out the financial process has barely started.
The real cost: People who complete the divorce without resolving the financial settlement are in a worse legal position than they realise. Without a Consent Order the financial connection between the parties remains open. This is not just inconvenient, it is a genuine legal and financial exposure that can persist for decades.
The fix: Start the financial settlement process at the same time as the divorce application, not after the Final Order. Both tracks run in parallel. DivorceCompanion's Clarity Plan shows both processes together so nothing gets missed.
Full DIY means doing everything yourself: gathering information across multiple free government websites, understanding two separate legal processes, completing all forms in the right order, and hoping you have not missed anything critical. It is achievable but time-consuming, error-prone, and leaves you exposed if the process is not clear, particularly on the Consent Order, which courts almost always reject when self-written.
The hybrid approach combines a guidance tool like DivorceCompanion for process understanding, stage tracking and form completion, with a qualified legal service only where it genuinely matters. It works for both amicable and contested cases and saves significant money on both routes.
The savings apply on both the amicable and contested route. The biggest single saving is always the same: not paying solicitors to explain the process at £200 to £350 an hour when a guidance tool can do that for free.
Figures are typical ranges for England and Wales. Actual costs vary by complexity, assets involved and the professionals instructed.
💡 Understand the process before you spend anything
The biggest cost driver in divorce is not knowing what comes next. People pay solicitors to explain the process at £200 to £350 an hour. That is orientation, not legal expertise. DivorceCompanion gives you that orientation: your exact route, every stage in order, guided D81 and Form E completion. Use legal service time for what only qualified professionals can do: legal advice and Consent Order drafting.