Plans to increase the divorce fee by one third, from £410 to £550, could leave many people trapped in a failed marriage, family law group Resolution has told MPs.
Giving evidence to the House of Commons Justice Select Committee last week, Resolution chair Jo Edwards said people were already struggling with the divorce fee in the wake of the legal aid cuts, and that the fee had been raised from £340 only two years ago. She called on the government to halt the increase until an impact assessment had been carried out on whether it would deter people from pursuing a divorce.
“The increase to £550 may lead to people unable to afford the fee remaining legally and financially tied to their former partner long after the relationship has ended—something that becomes dangerous in cases of abuse.
“It's important to note that this divorce fee will be payable regardless of whether the parties choose to use an out of court solution such as mediation to resolve money and children issues ancillary to the divorce, or to pursue remedies through the courts, and far outstrips the actual administrative cost of divorce, £270.”
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