Money and property when you divorce or separate

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Maintenance payments

The court sometimes tells the person with the higher income to make regular maintenance payments to help with the other person’s living costs.

This is called a ‘maintenance order’.

A maintenance payment can be set for:

  • a limited period of time
  • until one of you dies, marries or enters into a new civil partnership

The payment can also be changed if one of you loses your job or gets much better paid work.

Child maintenance

The court can also decide on child maintenance, but this is often arranged by the Child Maintenance Service.

Read more about making arrangements to look after children when you divorce or separate.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Part of Get a divorce: step by step

  1. Step 1 Get support and advice

    You can get support or counselling to help you through the divorce process.

    1. Get support and advice from Relate
    2. Find a counsellor on Counselling Directory

  2. Step 2 Check if you can get divorced

    1. Check if you can get a divorce
    2. Get legal advice if you want help with the divorce process

  3. Step 3 Make arrangements for children, money and property

    1. Make arrangements for your children
    2. Divide your money and property
    3. Check if your divorce will affect whether you can live in your current home

  4. Step 4 Apply for a divorce

    1. Apply for a divorce online or by post £593
    2. Get help with court fees
    3. Get legal advice
    4. Get help if your husband or wife cannot make decisions for themselves

  5. Step 5 Apply for a ‘conditional order’ or ‘decree nisi’

    1. Apply for a ‘conditional order’ or 'decree nisi'

  6. Step 6 Finalise your divorce

    1. Apply for a ‘final order’ or 'decree absolute'

  7. Step 7 Report that your circumstances have changed

    You also have to tell other government organisations that you're getting divorced if: