I want a divorce.
Where do I start?
If you have no idea where to begin, start here. Divorce is not just one form. The right first step depends on where your divorce belongs, whether you only need the legal divorce, whether money or property needs sorting, whether you both agree, and whether children or safety concerns are involved.
Last updated 2026 · General divorce information for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This guide helps you understand the route, but it is not legal advice.
Work through the decisions in the right order.
The first step is not choosing a form. It is understanding where your divorce belongs, what needs sorting, and whether your situation is simple, agreed, disputed or risky.
The UK does not have one single divorce process. England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have different rules, forms, fees and court stages.
The divorce ends the marriage. It does not automatically sort the house, pensions, savings, debts, maintenance or financial claims.
If there is abuse, pressure, financial control, missing information or fear, do not choose the cheapest or quickest route without checking safety first.
The starting point is not a form. It is a decision tree.
If you want a divorce, the first job is to understand what kind of situation you are in. Some people only need a simple divorce application. Others need divorce plus a financial order. Others need mediation or solicitor advice before they should agree anything.
The mistake is thinking “I just need to get divorced” when there is also a house, pension, savings, debt, child arrangement issue or safety concern in the background.
This guide breaks it down as simply as possible: where does the divorce belong, can you start, what needs sorting, what is agreed, what documents do you need, and which route should you choose?
First, work out where your divorce belongs.
Before you think about cost, forms or services, decide which legal system applies. This matters because England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland do not use the same divorce process.
| Question | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Where do you live now?Your current home can matter. | It can help you understand which court has the closest connection to your divorce. | Write down where you live and how long you have lived there. |
| Where does your spouse live now?This affects contact and service. | The court may need to send papers to your spouse or know how they can be contacted. | Find their current address and email address if you safely can. |
| Where did you last live together?Useful if you have moved. | If one person has moved, the last shared home can help you understand the likely route. | Note the country and approximate date you stopped living together. |
| Does one of you live abroad?Jurisdiction can become more complex. | International cases can involve service, recognition and which court should deal with the divorce. | Do not guess. Use the route checker or get advice before applying. |
| Was the marriage abroad?You may still be able to divorce in the UK. | A foreign marriage certificate may need to be valid and translated if not in English. | Find the marriage certificate and check whether a certified translation is needed. |
For many people this is simple. If you both live in England, the divorce will usually be in England and Wales. If you both live in Scotland, it will usually be in Scotland. If you both live in Northern Ireland, it will usually be in Northern Ireland. If one of you has moved, lives abroad or the position is unclear, check jurisdiction before paying a court fee. In Scotland, residence or domicile rules may also need to be checked, especially before using the simplified route.
Check whether you can actually start now.
Once you know the country, check whether you are allowed to begin the process. If you cannot start yet, you can still prepare documents, check finances and get advice.
Usually one year of marriage
You usually need to have been married for at least one year before applying. You can apply by yourself as a sole applicant, or together as joint applicants. Court fees should be checked before applying.
Check simplified or ordinary
Simplified divorce is only for limited cases, including where there are no children of the marriage under 16, no financial matters to sort out, and the other simplified conditions are met. Otherwise, ordinary divorce may be needed.
Usually two years of marriage
In Northern Ireland, a divorce petition can only be presented to the court after you have been married for two years. The process uses its own court forms and fees.
Decide if this is divorce only, or divorce plus finances.
This is the biggest thing to understand. The divorce is the legal process that ends the marriage. It does not automatically divide the money.
If there is a house, mortgage, pension, savings, debt, business, income difference, maintenance issue or agreement about money, you may need more than the divorce application.
In England and Wales, an agreed financial split usually needs a consent order to make it legally binding. The court cannot approve a consent order before conditional order, and it is usually simpler to deal with it before final order because there can be financial consequences if it is left until after the divorce is final, especially around pensions.
In Scotland, financial provision usually needs to be dealt with before or as part of the divorce process, and simplified divorce is generally not suitable if there are financial matters still to sort out. Northern Ireland has its own financial relief process, often called ancillary relief.
Use this simple money check before choosing a route.
If you answer yes to any of these, do not assume a divorce-only route is enough.
Assets and income
These often mean the financial side needs checking.
Debt and future risk
These are easy to miss at the start.
Work out what is agreed and what is not agreed.
Agreement is not one single thing. You might agree to divorce but disagree about money. Or you might agree money but not have made it legally binding.
| Your situation | What it means | Likely next step |
|---|---|---|
| We both agree to divorceThe divorce itself is not the issue. | The application may be easier, but you still need to check finances, children and documents. | Check whether this is divorce only or divorce plus finances. |
| We agree divorce and financesYou have a proposed split. | This is a useful starting point, but the agreement may still need to be put into the correct legal format for the country dealing with the divorce. | Check whether a clean break order, consent order, financial order, financial provision or ancillary relief advice is needed. |
| We agree divorce but not financesVery common. | You may be able to start the divorce, but money needs a separate plan. | Consider mediation, solicitor advice or financial remedy guidance. |
| We do not agree child arrangementsChildren are separate from divorce. | The divorce application does not automatically decide where children live, contact arrangements or child maintenance. | Check mediation, child arrangements guidance, child maintenance guidance or solicitor advice. |
| My spouse will not respondContact or service problem. | You may still be able to continue, but extra court steps may be needed. | Check service options before assuming the divorce is blocked. |
| I feel pressured or unsafeSafety comes first. | A simple online route may not be the safest starting point. | Get advice before contacting your spouse, sharing details or agreeing anything. |
Check children, safety and pressure before choosing a simple route.
These issues do not always stop a divorce application, but they can change the safest route and the support you need. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 999.
If child arrangements are agreed and safe
You may still be able to use a straightforward divorce route. The divorce itself does not usually make the parenting plan legally binding, so keep child arrangements separate in your mind.
If child arrangements are disputed
You may need mediation, child arrangements advice or court guidance. Do not assume the divorce application will decide where the children live, how contact works or how maintenance is calculated.
If there is abuse, coercion or fear
Do not choose a basic online route just because it is cheaper. Safe communication, address protection, urgent advice and protective steps may matter more than speed.
If you are being rushed to agree
Pause before signing, transferring property, agreeing pensions, accepting less than expected or sending financial documents. Pressure can lead to expensive mistakes.
Gather the documents before you start.
You do not need every document on day one, but having the basics ready makes the process smoother and helps you avoid mistakes.
Divorce application documents
Useful before starting the form or asking for managed support.
Financial information
Start gathering these if money, property or pensions are involved.
Scotland checks
Useful if you are considering simplified divorce in Scotland.
Northern Ireland checks
Useful if your divorce belongs in Northern Ireland.
Choose the route that fits your situation.
Once you know the country, finances, agreement position and any safety issues, you can choose the route. The right route is not always the cheapest route. It is the one that matches how simple, agreed and safe your situation is.
| If this sounds like you | Route to consider | What this route usually helps with | What to check first |
|---|---|---|---|
| I only need the legal divorceNo house, pensions, savings, debts, children dispute or safety concern. | DIY divorce | Completing the divorce application yourself through the correct country process. | Check you have the marriage certificate, your spouse’s details, the correct jurisdiction and the current court fee. |
| I want help with the divorce adminThe case is simple, but I do not want to manage the forms alone. | Managed online divorce | Help preparing and managing the divorce application, reducing form mistakes and keeping the process organised. | Check that you do not need legal advice about money, property, pensions, children or safety. |
| We agree the financesYou have agreed what happens to money, property, pensions or debts. | Financial order support | Turning an agreed financial settlement into the correct legal paperwork, such as a clean break order or consent order in England and Wales, or the relevant financial process in Scotland or Northern Ireland. | Check the agreement is complete, fair enough to rely on, and based on proper financial information. |
| We do not agree the financesThe divorce may be agreed, but money, property or pensions are not. | Mediation or solicitor advice | Helping you understand the issues, exchange information and try to reach agreement without immediately going to court. | Check whether both people can negotiate safely and whether financial disclosure is complete. |
| There is property, pensions, a business or complex moneyThe financial outcome could have long-term consequences. | Solicitor advice | Advice on legal rights, risk, fairness, disclosure, negotiation and whether any proposed agreement protects you properly. | Check before signing, transferring property, ignoring pensions or accepting a settlement you do not fully understand. |
| There is abuse, pressure, coercion or fearYou do not feel safe dealing with your spouse directly. | Specialist support first | Safe communication, protective steps, advice on urgent risks and support before starting a standard divorce route. | Check safety before sharing your address, contacting your spouse, negotiating or sending documents. |
Work out which situation you are actually in.
Most people do not start by knowing the legal route. They start with a real-life problem: “I want out”, “we own a house”, “we agree everything”, “they will not reply” or “I do not feel safe”. Match your situation below before choosing a service.
I just want to end the marriage
If there are no finances to sort, no children dispute, no safety concern and you know how to contact your spouse, this may be a straightforward divorce-only route.
We agree what happens to money
You may still need the agreement made legally binding. In England and Wales, the divorce application alone does not usually protect you from future financial claims.
We do not agree about money
You need a plan for the financial side. That may mean disclosure, mediation, negotiation, solicitor advice, financial remedy, financial provision or ancillary relief depending on the country.
We have children to sort arrangements for
The divorce process does not automatically decide where children live, how contact works, or how child maintenance is calculated.
I do not know if my spouse will reply
You may still be able to continue, but you may need to think about service, address details, alternative contact or extra court steps.
I have no idea what applies
Use the route checker first. It helps narrow the situation before you choose DIY, managed divorce, mediation, financial order support or solicitor advice.
What the divorce process looks like by country.
The divorce process is not identical across the UK. Use this as a plain-English overview before you choose a route.
| Country | How it usually starts | What happens next | How it ends | Finance point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England and WalesUsually the most online-friendly route. | You apply online or by paper form using the divorce application process. | The application is issued by the court and your spouse is notified. If they do not respond, that does not automatically mean the divorce is blocked. There is a minimum 20-week wait before applying for conditional order. | After conditional order, you wait at least 6 weeks and 1 day before applying for final order. | The final order ends the marriage. It does not automatically sort money, property, pensions or financial claims. A consent order or financial order may be needed. |
| ScotlandSimplified or ordinary divorce. | You check whether simplified divorce is available. If not, the ordinary divorce process is usually needed. | Simplified divorce is only for limited cases, including no children of the marriage under 16, no financial matters to sort out, and no other relevant court proceedings. Residence or domicile also needs to be right. | The court grants divorce once the correct procedure has been followed and the legal requirements are met. The divorce certificate is called an extract decree of divorce. | If finances still need sorting, simplified divorce is generally not the right route. Financial provision should be dealt with before or as part of the proper process. |
| Northern IrelandDifferent from England, Wales and Scotland. | You usually begin by preparing and lodging a divorce petition and the required court forms. | Your spouse is served or notified. The case then follows the Northern Ireland court process, which may include decree nisi before the final decree stage. | The marriage legally ends when decree absolute is granted. Decree absolute can usually be applied for after the required waiting period following decree nisi. | Financial claims are not something to ignore. If money, property, pensions or maintenance are involved, check whether ancillary relief or legal advice is needed. |
Do not worry about memorising every legal term at the start. The important thing is to choose the correct country process, understand that finances may need separate attention, and avoid finalising the divorce without knowing what happens to money, property and pensions.
Get advice before moving ahead if any of these apply.
These situations do not always mean court is needed, but they are signs that you should not guess or rush.
Financial red flags
Do not treat these as simple admin.
Practical red flags
These can change the right route.
What to do now if you want a divorce.
Use this as a practical order. It is designed for someone starting from zero.
Today
Start with the decisions, not the forms.
This week
Get ready before applying or instructing anyone.
Before applying
Check these before starting the formal process.
Before finalising
Do not treat the final divorce stage as the end of everything.
Common questions when starting a divorce.
Simple answers for people who know they want a divorce but are unsure what to do first.
What is the first thing I should do if I want a divorce?
First work out which country’s divorce process applies. Then decide whether you only need the divorce or whether finances, children, safety or legal advice also need to be considered.
Can I start a divorce online?
In England and Wales, many people can start online. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different procedures, so you should not assume the England and Wales online route applies.
Does divorce sort out money automatically?
No. Divorce ends the marriage. Money, property, pensions, debts and financial claims are separate issues and may need a financial order or country-specific process.
What if we have already agreed everything?
That is helpful, but you may still need to make the financial agreement legally binding. In England and Wales this is usually done with a consent order. Scotland and Northern Ireland use different financial processes, so check the right route for the country dealing with the divorce.
What documents do I need to start?
You usually need your marriage certificate, your spouse’s details, your own details and any name-change evidence. If finances are involved, start gathering property, pension, savings, debt and income information. Northern Ireland also uses specific petition and supporting court forms.
Should I use a solicitor?
You may not need a solicitor for a very simple divorce-only case. Solicitor advice is more important where there is property, pensions, disputed finances, children issues, safety concerns, pressure, missing information or complex assets.
Still unsure where to start?
Use the divorce route checker.
Answer a few simple questions about where your divorce belongs, whether finances are involved, whether you agree and whether any safety concerns may affect the route.