Divorce and dissolution in England & Wales — a plain-English national guide

Who this is for. If you are thinking of ending your marriage (a divorce) or your civil partnership (a dissolution), this guide explains, in plain English, how the process works in England and Wales — the single no-fault application, the 20-week reflection period, and the two stages (conditional order, then final order) that bring a legal relationship to an end. It is written for people doing this themselves, whether with or without a solicitor. It does not give legal advice and it does not take sides: it helps you understand the process so you can make informed decisions.

An independent guide. This is an independent, informational guide produced by the YouFamilyCase directory. It is not produced by, affiliated with, or endorsed by HM Courts & Tribunals Service, the government, or any law firm, and it contains no advertising. It simply explains how divorce and dissolution generally work, based on official guidance.

Reviewed by Sean McNamara on 2026-10-21

The headline: it is now "no-fault"

Since 6 April 2022, divorce in England and Wales is no-fault. You no longer have to prove that your spouse did something wrong (such as unreasonable behaviour or adultery) to get divorced. Instead, you make a single application stating simply that the marriage has irretrievably broken down and you do not need to give reasons or blame either side.

The same no-fault system applies to ending a civil partnership, where the process is called dissolution rather than divorce. The rules are largely the same, but the words differ (a marriage "dissolves" in the same final-order sense, but the application is a "dissolution application").

The authoritative source is the government's own step-by-step guide at gov.uk/divorce. This guide explains the same process in plain English — but always read the official page alongside it, because fees, forms and steps can change.

Can you get a divorce?

To get a divorce (or dissolution) in England and Wales you need to be able to say all of the following:

you have been married (or in a civil partnership) for over a year;
your relationship has permanently broken down;
your marriage or civil partnership is legally recognised in the UK (this includes same-sex marriages and civil partnerships).

If you are not sure you want to end the relationship, or it has been less than a year, there are other options — including legal separation (living apart without ending the marriage) and annulment.

The process, stage by stage

The divorce/dissolution process in England and Wales has three clear stages. Here they are in plain English.

1. Apply for the divorce or dissolution (the single application)

You make one application online (or by post) via gov.uk/divorce. The current court fee is £628 (there is help with court fees if you qualify). The application asks for your details and your spouse's or partner's, confirms your marriage or civil partnership's legal basis, and makes the statement that the marriage/partnership has irretrievably broken down. Only one of you needs to apply — there is no longer a separate "petitioner" and "respondent" in the old blame-based sense, though the other person still has an official role in the process and will contacted to acknowledge the application. Both of you can apply together ("joint application") or one of you can apply alone.

2. The 20-week reflection period

After the application is issued, there is a fixed reflection period of at least 20 weeks before the marriage or civil partnership can actually be dissolved. This is the "cooling-off" time built into the no-fault system. It is designed to give both of you time to think, to make arrangements, and to get any paperwork about money and children sorted. You cannot skip it or speed it up.

3. The conditional order (formerly "decree nisi")

At the end of the reflection period you can apply for the conditional order (for marriages this used to be called the decree nisi; for civil partnerships the wording is similar). This is a provisional decision by the court confirming that you are entitled to the divorce or dissolution. It does not end the marriage or partnership yet — it is the first formal step, and it must be applied for before you can go further.

4. The final order (formerly "decree absolute")

The last step is to apply for the final order (for marriages this used to be called the decree absolute). Once the final order is granted, the marriage or civil partnership is legally over. It must be applied for separately and can only be made after the conditional order — and after a further fixed period (normally six weeks and one day after the conditional order). The final order is what actually changes your legal status.

A practical note: the unconditional legal end of the relationship does not automatically sort out your money, your house, your pensions, or your children. Those are separate matters — see below.

Marriage vs civil partnership — what's different?

The core process is the same: one application, a reflection period, a conditional order, and a final order. The main differences are about names and terminology:

Ending a marriage is called a divorce; ending a civil partnership is called a dissolution.
The historic terms decree nisi (now conditional order) and decree absolute (now final order) are used for marriages; civil partnerships use the same modern "conditional order" / "final order" wording.
For marriages the law is mainly the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973; for civil partnerships it is mainly the Civil Partnership Act 2004.
The rights that come with the relationship — such as financial provision, inheritance, and protections for shared assets — apply to civil partners as well as spouses, and the dissolution process treats civil partners on the same footing.

The government runs a separate step-by-step guide for civil partnerships (dissolution), which sits alongside the divorce guide. The divorce guide itself says: "If you are ending a civil relationship, read the guide for ending a civil partnership" (gov.uk/end-civil-partnership).

How to apply — online

Applying is done through the government's online service:

Start at gov.uk/divorce and follow "Apply for a divorce online or by post" (fee £628).
For a civil partnership, use the ending a civil partnership guide at gov.uk/end-civil-partnership.
The online service guides you through the form, tells you what documents/information you need (e.g. the relationship's start date, your details, and reference numbers), and takes you through payment.
There is help with court fees if you qualify (the "Help with Fees" scheme) — follow the fee-help links on gov.uk.

Most people apply online; a paper application is also possible. Both routes go through HM Courts & Tribunals Service.

Where financial remedy and children matters sit alongside

The single most important thing to understand is that getting divorced or dissolving a civil partnership does not, by itself, decide anything about money, property, pensions, or children. Divorce ends the legal relationship — it does not divide the assets. Those decisions are separate:

Money, property and pensions — sorting out the family finances is a separate process called a financial remedy application, handled by the same family court. You usually make this separately (or settle it by agreement). The divorce can go ahead while financial matters are being sorted, and some people deliberately hold off on the final order until finances are agreed, because applying for the final order can have practical consequences for claims you might otherwise bring. This guide's companion financial remedy guide explains that process in full (see gov.uk/money-property-when-relationship-ends).
Children — decisions about where children live and who they spend time with are again a separate application (usually a child arrangements application), guided by the children's wellbeing rather than by the divorce itself. A divorce does not automatically bring with it a decision about the children. See the companion C100 child arrangements and family court timeline guides (gov.uk/looking-after-children-divorce).

In other words: divorce = ending the relationship; financial remedy = dividing belongings; children proceedings = deciding arrangements for the children. They usually run alongside or after one another, but they are distinct tracks and you should not assume the outcome of one determines another.

Realistic expectations

It takes time. The 20-week reflection period alone means a divorce or dissolution cannot be finalised quickly — the whole process typically takes several months from application to final order even when everything is straightforward.
The final order is optional, not automatic. You must actively apply for both the conditional order and then the final order. If you do not, the divorce can sit unfinished.
It is a legal formality, not a settlement. Reaching the final order is about legal status — not about who gets the house, the pension, or the children.
Getting proper, current advice — even a paid-for initial consultation with a family solicitor — is often worth it, especially if money, property or children are involved.

Official sources (gov.uk)

Get a divorce (step by step): gov.uk/divorce
Apply for the divorce online or by post (fee £628): gov.uk/divorce/file-for-divorce
Apply for a conditional order / decree nisi: gov.uk/divorce/apply-for-conditional-order-decree-nisi
Finalise your divorce (final order / decree absolute): gov.uk/divorce/finalise-your-divorce
Ending a civil partnership: gov.uk/end-civil-partnership
Sorting out money and property when a relationship ends: gov.uk/money-property-when-relationship-ends
Making child arrangements if you separate: gov.uk/looking-after-children-divorce

This guide gives general information about divorce and dissolution in England and Wales and does not provide legal advice. It is not a substitute for advice from a qualified family-law solicitor or a regulated adviser. The process, fees and forms change — always verify the current position on the official GOV.UK pages linked above before acting. Every case turns on its own facts; get tailored, current advice before relying on anything here. If you are in present danger from domestic abuse, call the police on 999; for support contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247 (Refuge).

YourFamilyCase is an independent, impartial information resource. We are not part of GOV.UK, HM Courts & Tribunals Service, or any law firm, and we receive no payment or preferment from any solicitor, mediator, or agency named or linked in this guide. The information here is provided to help you understand the system; it does not replace professional legal advice.