My Story

In 2009, my husband and I decided to separate. We had been married for 23 years and two of our children were adults. My son was 15 and it was agreed he would live with me in my new home.

We had sorted our own financial affairs and our children were beyond the age of needing child care arrangements made.

Over the next three years that passed, I thought often about divorce but because of the presumed cost I always put it on the back burner, until I knew it was going to be something I had to address. 

I looked online at the sites offering to divorce you for as little as £16. Unfortunately on reading some reviews about some of these companies they were not favourable and put me off. I knew a solicitor could cost in excess of £400 on top of the standard court fees. 

So I began my research in to a DIY divorce. I visited the Directgov website and found everything I could possibly need to know, from step by step guide to the process and all the forms to fill in and print off. 

So on 21st March 2012, I started the process of getting divorced.

As long as you're joint financial affairs have been dealt with and there isn't any disputes, and you have agreed on childcare between you both if applicable, then DIY divorce could be for you. 

First Stage.

The first step in filing for divorce is filling in the form D8, you are required to send three of these to the court. All filled in identically, and with a cheque for £340 which is the mandatory court fee.

One of these is kept by the court, the other is sent to your spouse. You also need to send your marriage certificate, this cannot be a copy. 

As long as your spouse does not disagree with any of the details contained in the form D8 then this first stage can take as little as 2/3 weeks.

d8.pdf.  Divorce petition

d8a.pdf.  Statement of arrangements for children

160a.pdf. Court fees do you have to pay?