01
Introductory Session
You each spend 45 mins individually with one of our solicitors, exploring your agreement and the legal process. A fixed fee quote is then shared with you both.
£200 total, deducted from your fixed fee if you proceed
Divorce & Separation
Financial Order drafting
Reaching an agreement on your finances is not the whole story. Until that agreement is turned into a Financial Order and approved by a judge, it isn't binding, and either of you could still bring a financial claim against the other, sometimes years after your divorce is finalised.
- What a Financial Order does
- Makes your agreement legally binding, once approved by a judge.
- Who this is for
- Couples who have reached agreement on their finances through our advisory services.
- Our fee
- Fixed fee quoted once we understand the complexity of your agreement.
- Court fee
- Currently £62, paid directly to HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), not included in our fixed fee.
What a Financial Order means for your divorce
If you and your spouse divorce and simply agree how to split things yourselves, that agreement isn’t automatically enforceable. To make it binding, you need what’s called a Financial Order. Without one, either of you may still be able to bring a financial claim later, sometimes long after the divorce itself has been finalised.
Financial Order drafting turns your agreement into something a court can approve: the right clauses, correct pension wording, and the other paperwork the judge will require. One solicitor drafting for both of you keeps the process collaborative and transparent, rather than a back-and-forth between two separate lawyers.
Our fixed fee for this service doesn’t include the court’s own fee for processing a consent order, currently £62, paid directly to HM Courts & Tribunals Service, not to us. That fee is set by the government and is subject to change independently of our pricing.
You are ready for Financial Order drafting when you have reached a settlement on all issues and need it made binding. If you’re still working out the numbers, start with Resolving Your Finances.
What happens next?
02
We draft the Financial Order
One of our specialist barristers or solicitors will draft your Financial Order, ensuring it encompasses your full agreement, together with the D81 and Form A court forms required by the judge
In your fixed fee
03
The court reviews your agreement
No court attendance needed. Approval is not automatic and our solicitors are on hand to help you answer any questions from the court.
In your fixed fee save for court fee, currently £62
04
Financial Order sealed
Once the court has approved your agreement, it will send you both the sealed Financial Order. This is binding.
In your fixed fee
Frequently Asked Questions
We've agreed everything ourselves, isn't that enough?
No. An informal agreement, even a signed one, isn't legally binding and enforceable until it has been approved by a court and turned into a sealed Financial Order. This is the only way to dismiss your financial claims against each other and resolve pension sharing.
What's the difference between a Consent Order and a Financial Order?
A Consent Order is a type of Financial Order, specifically, one made by agreement between you both, whether that agreement is reached through a process like ours or even during litigation, right up to the door of a final hearing. If a judge has to decide because you can't agree, the result is still a Financial Order, it's just not, by definition, a Consent Order.
Does your fee include the court fee?
No. Our fee covers drafting your order, the court's own processing fee is separate, currently £62, and paid directly to HM Courts & Tribunals Service. It's set by the government, not us, and can change at any time.
How long does Financial Order drafting take?
Drafting and court review are separate stages. We can usually turn around order drafting within 14 days but the court review stage is subject to the court's workload and timescales vary.
Take one clear next step
You don't need to solve your whole divorce today. Choose the conversation or resource that best matches what you need now.