Relationship breakdowns, separations and divorces are challenging life events with significant emotional, financial and legal implications.

At SME Solicitors, we provide compassionate guidance through these difficult times with clear legal advice tailored to your specific situation. Divorce legally ends a marriage but doesn't deal with the financial aspects. Our advisers, Justine Lowe and Ian Stirzaker, are members of Resolution, a professional body for family law practitioners. They're committed to following a non-confrontational approach throughout, with the aim of reducing emotional turmoil and making the transition and separation easier.

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Feeling uncertain about what to do next?

We understand that this can be challenging and our experts are here to support you. Our diagnostics tools will help you to identify whether you're prepared for the divorce or separation process. We also offer a one hour no-obligation initial meeting at £150.00 + VAT. We know how hard it can be to take the first step, so we promise to make it as easy as possible for you.

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What's involved in a Divorce or Separation?

Divorce legally ends a marriage and typically involves several stages, which our family law specialists will guide you through. From filing applications to finalising court orders, we're here to help you.

For unmarried couples, while there is no formal legal process for separation, you can still benefit from seeking advice when considering property rights, financial arrangements and children's matters, as cohabiting couples don't automatically have the same legal protections as married couples.

Going through a divorce can feel overwhelming, but understanding the process can help make it more manageable. Here's an overview of the divorce process:

  • Application for Divorce
  • Acknowledgement
  • Reflection Period
  • Seeking Mediation Services to Resolve Finances
  • Conditional Offer
  • Financial Settlements
  • Final Order

During a divorce, seeking legal advice from experienced family solicitors can be invaluable, particularly for complex financial matters or when children are involved. Our Worcester-based team of specialists at SME Solicitors can provide the support and guidance you need at each stage to ease the process for you.

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Sometimes couples, whether married or unmarried, wish to document how they'll divide assets and work together on family matters when they're no longer together. These arrangements can be set out in a separation agreement, which is essentially a contract between them. For married couples, this can later be converted into a divorce court order. For unmarried couples, it can be implemented in a structured way to protect each party’s interests. This document could include:

  • Asset splitting
  • Children
  • Financial support and maintenance payments
  • Division of debts and liabilities
  • Pension arrangements
  • Bank accounts and savings
  • Household contents and personal belongings
  • Pets and animals
  • Vehicle ownership
  • Business interests
  • Insurance policies
  • Tax considerations

When these agreements are drawn up properly following legal guidelines, they're more likely to be recognised by the courts. However, there are important requirements to meet and sometimes the law won't allow personal relationships to be treated as simple contracts. Our family law team can help you to navigate the potential complexities of drafting these agreements.

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There's often more to think about when a relationship breaks down. we don't forget any extra money to make sure that your interests are protected and that we've considered every last detail.

  • Child Arrangement Support
  • Property Rights Protection
  • Separation Agreements
  • Court Representation
  • Legal Documentation
  • Wills and Powers of Attorney

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Why choose our Family Law team?

Seeking expert legal advice is crucial at this time. Many aspects of family law are complex and emotionally challenging. You can be sure that we are acting in line with the Resolution standards, which means adopting a practical, non-confrontational approach to situations.

We use our experience with Resolution, as Mediators and from other areas of the law to assist you through the process. We will ensure that you are properly advised to enable you to make the right decisions and an outcome you can rebuild from.

We aim to provide you with prompt, expert advice throughout your case. During our initial meeting, we'll discuss our funding approach and our service quality guarantee.

Our goal is to achieve a fair outcome while minimising conflict and emotional distress. We also offer support through mediation or alternative dispute resolution methods, which are often less adversarial than court proceedings.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Feeling stuck is completely normal. Divorce is a major life decision and one of the most stressful experiences people face. However, you will get through it.

We recommend trying to continue with your daily life whilst you work through your options. To help you move forward, we offer some tools that might be helpful to you:

You can use our online diagnostic tool that guides you through key questions about your situation, helping you understand your financial position and what information you may need.

We offer a discounted one-hour consultation where you can discuss your circumstances in confidence. We'll listen and provide guidance on what you need to consider and what your options might look like going forward.

These resources will give you the information and support needed to take time for reflection and determine the best path forward for your situation.

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While the divorce application itself is straightforward, some clients find the technical language or online format challenging. We can provide as much guidance as you need to ensure you're in control of your case and have all relevant information available to meet court deadlines.

The divorce application is only one part of the process. The main aspects of divorce typically involve sorting out finances and children's arrangements. You may become legally divorced, but these two matters still require resolution. Our role is to guide you through the financial settlement process and advise on children's arrangements, rather than simply completing the divorce application itself.

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Either party can apply for a divorce individually (sole application) or you can apply together (joint application). If your relationship is reasonably amicable, a joint application can work well, as it demonstrates cooperation from the outset. However, sometimes one party needs to take the step by themselves.

Under the current no-fault divorce system, it is very difficult to contest a divorce. In practice, whether you choose a sole or joint application often makes little difference legally - it’s more about how you wish to approach the process between yourselves.

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The court fee for a divorce application is £612 (as of 2025). The process is straightforward and can be completed online, which most clients manage with guidance from us. If you need assistance with the application, we offer a fixed fee service to complete it on your behalf.

If you choose to complete the application yourself but need support from us for other aspects of your divorce, please keep us informed of your progress. This allows us to advise you on timings for the conditional order and final order application.

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When you get divorced, you become legally single, but financial ties to your ex-spouse remain until a financial order is approved by the court. Without this order, your former partner may have an indefinite claim against your assets, both during your lifetime and after death.

A financial order ensures that both parties achieve complete financial independence, allowing you to move forward without the risk of future claims. We strongly recommend obtaining a financial order to sever all financial connections and provide certainty for your future.

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A contested divorce occurs when parties cannot agree on financial matters and negotiations have failed. Under the current no-fault divorce system, the divorce itself is rarely contested, but financial disputes may require court intervention.

When negotiations reach an impasse, the court process begins by filing a Form A. The court then sets a timetable for financial disclosure and negotiations, with a judge making the final decision if settlement cannot be reached.

The process involves:

  • Form A application: initiates court proceedings and sets directions
  • Financial Dispute Resolution (FDR) hearing: parties attempt to reach agreement with judicial guidance
  • Final hearing: judge makes binding decision if settlement fails

This route is more time-consuming and expensive than alternative dispute resolution methods, but may be necessary when cooperation breaks down.

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AI can be a helpful tool for organising your thoughts and creating initial drafts during your divorce. However, there are important limitations to consider.

AI will only provide accurate guidance if you know the right questions to ask, and it may not analyse information specific to your unique situation. In divorce cases, most circumstances are different, so there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer.

Additionally, judges expect court orders in specific formats using established precedents and approved templates. An AI-generated document may not be accepted by the court in its current form.

If you wish to use AI, we recommend only using it as a starting point, but seeking professional legal advice to ensure your documents are drafted correctly and meet court requirements.

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We would suggest approaching it step by step. Once you have the right knowledge and support, the process becomes manageable.

We can help to break down the divorce process into clear stages. Whilst we can’t predict the outcome without reviewing all aspects of your case, we can guide you through every step of the process and help you to gather the required information.

We then assess both your needs and your partner's needs to help you both achieve financial independence after divorce.

We understand that discussing personal matters with someone new can be difficult, with additional questions surrounding costs. That's why we offer a discounted one-hour initial consultation where you can discuss your situation in confidence. Ultimately, we hope to reduce the stress of this significant life transition.

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After you’re legally divorced, you might wish to think about your Will and a Power of Attorney, depending on your age, but these are sensible to put in place at any time. When you’re married, you’re likely to leave everything to your spouse, but after divorce you’ll need to make sure that the right people will inherit your estate.

You may also need to consider your pensions and life insurance, which often become part of a divorce. We would recommend that you seek professional financial advice for this, as you might need to think about who would benefit from your pension after the divorce.

Lastly, you may also want to change your surname if you took your spouse's name during marriage. This is a personal choice - some people prefer to revert to their previous name, whilst others choose to keep their married name, particularly if they have children.

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News & insights

Stay informed with the latest insights from our team, including case studies and legislation updates.

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6 key steps to achieving a good divorce
6 key steps to achieving a good divorce

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