Money and property when a relationship ends
If you can't agree
You can ask a court to make a ‘financial order’ if you can’t reach an agreement. This used to be called an ‘ancillary relief order’.
You must attend a meeting about mediation first - except in certain cases (there’s been domestic abuse, for example).
Deadlines for applying
You can ask the court to make a financial order if both of the following apply:
- you’ve started the paperwork to divorce or end your civil partnership
- you haven’t yet applied for the final legal document to end the relationship
The final legal document is the:
- decree absolute if you’re divorcing
- final order if you’re ending a civil partnership
How to apply
You can apply for a financial order to get things like:
- a lump sum payment
- ownership of a property
- regular maintenance payments to help with children or living expenses
- a share of your partner’s pension payments
Applying costs £255.
You’ll need to send 2 copies of the form to the court dealing with your paperwork to divorce or end your civil partnership. Keep a copy for yourself.
You may have to attend a court appointment and go to a number of court hearings. How long it takes varies, but it could be 6 to 12 months.