Fixed fee divorce guide

The Slee Blackwell Solicitors guide to fixed fee divorce 

Slee Blackwell Solicitors are independently ranked among the top five divorce solicitors in the UK*. We offer a range of services and funding options for those who are divorcing, including fixed fees. Contact us for a free initial consultation about your divorce by calling 0333 888 0404 or emailing us at [email protected].

Going through a divorce is stressful, so knowing exactly where you are with legal costs is vital. To assist you in managing those costs we have created a fixed fee divorce scheme.

However, not all legal advice is covered by a fixed fee as there can be a number of unknowns which cannot possibly be predicted at the outset. We will however give you clear and upfront estimates of costs for other matters such as child arrangement disputes and financial settlement matters.

An overview of the divorce process in England and Wales

If you are the spouse who is applying for the divorce then your ex-spouse has to respond and acknowledge the application. Once they have done so, the court will process the acknowledgment and you then have to wait for 20 weeks/5 months before applying for the Conditional Order (previously called a decree nisi). You must then wait 6 weeks before applying for your Final Order (previously called a Decree Absolute). Once the Final Order is granted by the court, you will be officially divorced.

What does the Slee Blackwell fixed fee divorce scheme cover and how can it work for you?

Divorce can be daunting, stressful, and time consuming. Our team is therefore here to help you navigate the process on a fixed fee basis.

• If you are the applicant

We charge a fixed fee of £600 plus VAT. This is less than what the majority of other law firms charge for this service.

The following steps are included:

• Having an initial call with you to gather all the required information.
• Completing the divorce application.
• Writing to you and your ex-spouse to confirm that he application has been made.
• Forwarding to you all correspondence from the court about your divorce.
• Diarising the dates for when your ex needs to have completed the acknowledgement (and progressing the divorce to the next stage even if they fail to acknowledge, which is rare).
• Applying to the court for the the Conditional Order.
• Applying to the court for the Final Order.
• Forwarding to you a copy of the Conditional Order and Final Order (which are important documents which you must keep safe).

In addition to the fixed fee, there is a court fee of £612 which you have to pay to the court unless you are exempt. Read our article about fee exemption options if you are on a low income.

• If you are the respondent

If your ex has applied for a divorce then you will be the ‘respondent’. We charge a fixed fee of £325 plus VAT to handle the respondent’s side of the divorce process. We will review the petition you have received, deal with any queries, and assist you in completing the acknowledgment.

What is not included in the Slee Blackwell fixed fee divorce scheme

The following steps and services are not included in our fixed fee scheme:

• Obtaining a copy of your marriage certificate.
• The £612 court fee.
• A process server fee if your ex is untraceable (this is rare as in most cases the parties are keen to cooperate and move forward together).
• Advice about children matters.
• Detailed advice about financial matters; though we will discuss your general financial circumstances with you in the initial information gathering call, and give generic information and guidance about what you should consider in order to protect your financial position as a result of your divorce.

To proceed with your fixed fee divorce

Our family law team will be happy to explain how the Slee Blackwell fixed fee divorce scheme can work for you. They can also provide an estimate for the cost of any work or advice you may need outside the scope of the fixed fee scheme, such as children and financial orders.

To get things moving, just give us a call on 0333 888 0404 or email us at [email protected].

*www.reviewsolicitors.co.uk April 2025.