How amicable works

If your relationship has come to an end, whether you’re married or not, you’ll need to agree on how to split your money, property and other assets and of course - if you have children - how you’ll co-parent going forward.

If you’re married you’ll also need to get divorced. That’s the legal aspect of ending a marriage, from divorce application to conditional order then final order.

amicable can help you with all of it, or just some of it.

Our focus is on the future and an arrangement that makes sense for your unique circumstances. Unlike lawyers, who can only represent one of you, we’ll work with you both to ensure the best possible outcome every single step of the way. Book a free 15-minute advice call to discuss what service is right for you.

Any couple divorcing or separating in England and Wales can use our amicable services unless there are:

• Any domestic violence including psychological abuse.
• Alcoholism or mental health issues that may mean individuals potentially won’t be able to negotiate.
• One person has already got a solicitor.
• One person is unprepared to negotiate and there are finances to resolve.
• The potential that assets will be hidden or any other disclosure issues.

Yes. You can use the amicable service to complete all the arrangements you need to make for your divorce or separation. Your Divorce Specialist can help you complete a parenting plan and coach you through co-parenting issues. We also have an app for separated and separating parents.

Not everyone starts off amicably and sometimes amicable is an aspiration rather than a reality. We know it can be hard when emotions are raw and feelings are hurt. It’s important to remember that however bad your relationship is if you have children you will always remain connected.

We’ve created blogs and videos explaining how and why parting ways amicably is beneficial.

No. amicable is a legal services company – we are not a law firm. This means we can help both you and your partner.

Uniquely, the amicable service means both you and your partner hear the same legal viewpoint rather than getting tied up in knots with ‘my lawyers say…’. We help couples who want an amicable divorce using a combination of psychology, technology, legal and financial information.

amicable doesn’t give legal advice and isn’t a law firm so it isn’t regulated like traditional law firms. However, we do have to stick to consumer law, and the Competition & Markets Authority has the power to make sure we comply. In fact we strive to be better than that and want you to be so happy with us that you recommend us to other people. You can rest assured that any solicitors we employ must comply with the same Code of Conduct that solicitors in a traditional law firm work with. It’s the same for other lawyers – and in fact all our team work to the highest ethical standards.

amicable is an online legal service for separating and divorcing couples. An amicable divorce is where you are able to reach an agreement. We help couples to have an amicable divorce, without having to use separate lawyers.

As of the 6th of April 2022, all divorces in England and Wales are no-fault divorces. You can find out more here.

We've also created a free amicable guide to divorce, to help you navigate the legal and emotional journey of separating. Download your free copy here.

Most people underestimate the amount of time their divorce will take. Divorces started after the 6th of April 2022 take a minimum of seven months to be completed due to the mandatory reflection periods.

At amicable we know that the longer it takes to sort things out, the harder it is to stay amicable. We have developed our approach to speed up the process without making you feel rushed. We help you prepare so you can get the ball rolling when you're ready.

Click here to get your own personalised divorce timeline.

This will depend on how much help you need. amicable offers low-cost, fixed-price services. We are typically more than ten times cheaper than going to court a third of the cost of using solicitors and more comprehensive than mediation. All our costs are transparent and you only pay for what you need. We also have payment plans so that you can pay across three months.

Yes. amicable uses technology to keep the cost of our services low. Here are the typical routes to divorce/separation and how much each one usually costs.

Going to court

Going to court should be the last resort, but sometimes it's unavoidable. Going to court is usually the most expensive, acrimonious and drawn-out option. It's estimated that the legal cost of going to court is around £40k per person in London and £13k per person outside of London. It can take approximately two years or more at times to finalise things through the court.

Mediation

A mediator is an independent, trained professional who helps you and your partner to work out agreements for children or finances. This option works if you and your ex can communicate with each other. You need to be aware that you'll need to go elsewhere to get the legal side of separating sorted. Mediators normally charge from £100 an hour per person and most couples have between three and four sessions.

Solicitor / Lawyer

A common option is a solicitor or a lawyer who can manage the legal process of divorce/separation as well as any financial and childcare issues. This option is most relevant where there are danger signs, and you need your own legal protection. For example, domestic violence, one person hiding /moving assets. The cost ranges from £500 for a simple divorce but can reach around £15,000 if the process is long (usually because of disagreements between you). Remember you will be paying two lawyers at an average of £8000 per person for divorce and finances.

amicable

amicable is unique as we're able to help with everything, including financial and childcare arrangements as well as the legal process. Using amicable allows you to separate without lawyers and amicable is around three times cheaper than a solicitor and half the cost of mediation services.

Our services range from £300 for a simple divorce to £5910 per couple for negotiation of finances, childcare arrangements as well as the divorce and consent order documents. View our fixed-price services here.

DIY services

It's possible to file the divorce paperwork yourself using the government website if you're divorce is simple, and you're comfortable with managing the process yourself. The cost of filing your divorce/dissolution yourself is up to £612 (the court fee). You can check if you're entitled to a discount on this fee here.

If you file your divorce yourself, you will still need legal support to negotiate and legalise your financial separation. amicable offers a range of services to help you with your finances from a write-up service for couples who have agreed on their finances, to a fully supported negotiation support where a more comprehensive service is required. If you’ve filed online, book a free 15-minute call to discuss your options around finalising your finances and childcare agreements.

The government charges a £612 fee to the court to file for a divorce or dissolution and a further £60 for a consent order. This is a standard fee set by HM Courts and Tribunals Service and applies to all courts in England and Wales.

You might be able to get money off your court fees if you have little or no savings, are on certain benefits or have a low income. Use our court fee calculator to check your eligibility here.

Explore our services or book a free 15-minute call to get started. Once you've signed up for a service, you'll be allocated a Divorce Specialist who will be your primary point of contact to guide you through the process.

We offer negotiation sessions where our specialists help you reach an agreement together. You can also use mediation to reach an agreement, however will need to go elsewhere to get your agreement made legally binding. We can help with this.

A consent order is a legally drafted document that tells the court how you have agreed to split your money and property. It does not need to be drafted by a solicitor, but it should be drafted by a legal expert as it must contain certain clauses that protect you and your ex both now and in the future.

The government court fee to submit a draft consent order is £60, however, a consent order should be drafted by a legal professional, such as amicable. If you've reached an agreement yourselves, often called a kitchen table agreement, we can prepare your consent order and manage the court process. If your confused about the government website and applying for a consent order, we've written a helpful guide.

A Divorce Specialist is your personal go-to person, there to guide you both through the process from start to finish. Your Divorce Specialist has expertise in divorce, conflict resolution and separated parenting. They have access to a wealth of legal, financial and parenting resources to help both of you make sensible decisions about your children and finances.

We’re more comprehensive than mediation because we also prepare couples' legal documents and manage the court process. Our Specialists are trained in helping couples navigate the legal and emotional journey of divorce and separation. You can read the key differences between amicable's negotiation service and mediation here.

Divorce Specialists are designed to be a flexible resource for you to contact if you’re stuck. You can email your specialist, telephone or video-call them at a time that’s mutually convenient. Your Divorce Specialist will talk through how best to contact them and will discuss confidentiality and the type of help they can offer.