Divorce practicalities

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How divorce works

The whole process from application to final order, including the waiting periods, who does what, and where people get stuck. If you read one page, read this one.

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If you haven't decided anything yet

Separation vs divorce

What the difference actually is, and why some people choose one over the other.

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Silent divorce

Still married but no longer a couple — and the five things staying married costs you that nobody mentions.

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The specifics

Grounds for divorce

There's only one now, and it isn't what most people expect.

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How long does a divorce take?

The honest answer, including the waiting periods nobody warns you about.

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How much does a divorce cost?

The court fee, the solicitor's fee, and the considerable gap between them.

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The paperwork

Conditional and final orders

What used to be the decree nisi and decree absolute, and the 43 days between them.

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Find your divorce record

How to get a copy of your final order, and what to do if you've lost it.

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If your situation has a particular shape

Same-sex divorce and civil partnership dissolution

The process is identical. Three things genuinely aren't, and they're the ones that cost people money.

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Here’s your ultimate guide to the divorce process - everything you could need to know about divorce. From how divorce works, how much it costs to get divorced, how long a divorce takes and what all the paperwork actually means. Pour yourself a mug (or glass!) of something, and settle in. We’ve got you.

The money is handled separately from the divorce itself — that's divorce and finances. If you have children, start at divorce and children.