New legislation will allow for no fault divorces in long awaited reforms

No fault divorce

On 6th April 2022 new legislation will allow for no fault divorces and bring in long awaited reforms “shaking up” an area of law that has not changed for almost 50 years.

Separating couples will no longer have to prove the irretrievable breakdown of their marriage by alleging blame, e.g. that a party has behaved unreasonably or has committed adultery. The new changes avoid the “blame game” reducing the potential for conflict. Put simply, if one party in a couple wants a divorce, they are no longer forced to prove a grievance or potentially even be forced to stay married if the other party does not agree with their reasons for a divorce. Karen Kenyon, a family solicitor within Pearson Solicitors and Financial Services team, states “this change is long overdue. The current law is outdated and has had a tendency to potentially increase animosity and acrimony in already difficult circumstances. It’s unfair that a couple is forced to stay together even if they have tried to make their marriage work.”

In line with the changes, we have reduced our fixed fee divorce costs starting at just £300.00 plus VAT plus the Court issue fee (where applicable).

However, there can be two very important aspects to divorcing – children and finances so it’s imperative to seek legal representation as there is a real risk that one party will lose out and this is where our experts really do come into play. We quote separately on children and financial matters as this is dependent on individual circumstances. Contact our experts 0161 785 3500 or email family@pearsonlegal.co.uk