Divorce fee increase

News has broken today that as of Monday 21 March 2016 the fee for a divorce application will have risen significantly.

The provision which will make the fee increase official is the Civil Proceedings, Family Proceedings and Upper Tribunal Fees (Amendment) Order  2016 specifically paragraph 3 which amends the Family Proceedings Fees Order 2008 to substitute £550 for the previous fee of £410.

The family law community has expressed its deep disappointment at the decision to impose the 34% increase and the way in which it has been communicated (or not, as the case may be) by the Ministry of justice.

The divorce process is not an optional one if a party wishes to end their marriage. Increasing the fee could lead to further disharmony between divorcing couples adding to the already difficult situation they may be facing. Fee increases are never welcomed regardless of the area in which they are imposed, but this one in particular is disheartening.

See some of the reactions to the increase below.

#Divorce fee increase - here is the link to the Amendment Order...which is apparently still draft #familylaw https://t.co/dgeC0xtcE6

— Amy Sanders (@Amy_Sanders1) March 17, 2016

#Divorce fees to increase to £550 from Monday #familylaw https://t.co/nfYeTDuP8r

— Paula Tanner (@paulahtanner) March 17, 2016

Resolution Chair @MissJoEdwards condemns ‘stealthy implementation' of divorce fee hike: https://t.co/LUVk6x5Goc pic.twitter.com/WyuYUEWcPM

— Resolution (@ResFamilyLaw) March 17, 2016

MoJ set to impose 34% divorce fee hike next Monday | News | Law Society Gazette https://t.co/4CjJg708ZF

— John Bolch (@johnbolch) March 17, 2016