If the cost of divorcing feels out of reach, the court fees may not be as fixed as they look. The Help with Fees scheme, applied for on form EX160 or online, can reduce or completely remove the £628 divorce application fee, the £62 financial consent order fee and the £321 contested financial order fee. Whether you pay nothing, part, or the full amount depends on two tests: how much you have in savings, and how much you earn each month. Many people on a low income or certain benefits pay £0.
This guide explains exactly how the scheme is assessed, using the current thresholds, with worked examples for the taper. Before you read on, our Help with Fees checker gives you a fast, private indication of whether you are likely to qualify and roughly how much you would pay, so you know where you stand before filling in a single form.
What Help with Divorce Fees is (and is not)
Help with Fees is a means-tested remission scheme run by HM Courts and Tribunals Service. It is not a loan, it is not repayable, and it is separate from legal aid. It only ever reduces court fees, the money you pay the court itself; it does not touch solicitor, mediator or barrister charges. For the wider picture of what a divorce actually costs, see our full breakdown of divorce costs.
The assessment looks at your finances, plus those of any partner you currently live with as a couple. It does not count the spouse you are divorcing once you are no longer living together as a couple. That is why one person in a separating couple can pay nothing while the other pays in full: each of you is assessed on your own circumstances, as confirmed on the gov.uk Help with Fees guidance.
Which divorce court fees Help with Fees can cover
All three court fees that arise in a typical divorce are eligible. You claim for each one separately, at the point you incur it:
- £628: the divorce or dissolution application fee. Paid once, when you apply. This fee applies from 13 July 2026 and is the same for sole and joint applications, online or on paper, as set out on the gov.uk file-for-divorce page.
- £62: the financial consent order fee. Paid when you ask the court to approve a financial agreement so it becomes legally binding. If you are heading down this route, our consent order guide explains why it matters.
- £321: the contested financial order fee. Paid to issue Form A and start financial remedy proceedings when you cannot agree.
There is no fee for the conditional order or final order stages of the divorce itself, so those need no claim.
The two tests you must pass for divorce fee help
To get any help, you must pass both a capital test and an income test. Fail the capital test and it does not matter how low your income is; you will not qualify.
Test one: disposable capital
Your disposable capital, broadly your savings, investments and other money you can readily get at, held by you and any partner you live with, must be below the limit:
- £4,250 is the limit for the fees involved in a divorce (the limit applies to fees up to £1,420, which covers all three divorce fees).
- £16,000 is the limit if you or your partner are aged 66 or over, whatever the fee.
Several things are disregarded and do not count towards these limits, including the home you live in, household belongings and vehicles, most pension savings, and certain compensation and support payments. If your countable capital is over the relevant limit, you cannot get help even on a very low income.
Test two: monthly income
If you pass the capital test, the scheme looks at your gross monthly income. If it is at or below the threshold, the fee is reduced to nil. The thresholds are:
| Your household | Monthly income threshold for full remission |
|---|---|
| Single, no children | £1,420 |
| Couple living together, no children | £2,130 |
| Add per child aged 0 to 13 | +£425 |
| Add per child aged 14 or over | +£710 |
So a single parent with one 15-year-old has an income threshold of £2,130 (£1,420 plus £710). A couple with two children aged 8 and 16 have a threshold of £3,265 (£2,130 plus £425 plus £710). Receiving certain means-tested benefits can mean you pass the income test automatically.
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The taper: partial help with divorce fees above the threshold
Being a little over the income threshold does not mean you pay the whole fee. This is the part many people miss. Above the threshold, you pay £5 for every £10 of monthly income over the limit (that is 50p in every £1), and your contribution is capped at the fee itself. The rule is set out in the official EX160A guide to applying for help with fees.
Worked example one: partial help on the divorce fee
Jaya is single, has £2,000 in savings and a gross income of £1,500 a month. She is applying for a divorce (£628 fee).
- Capital test: £2,000 is below £4,250, so she passes.
- Income test: she is £80 over the £1,420 single threshold. The taper is £5 per £10 over, so £80 over means £40 to pay (£80 divided by £10, times £5).
- Result: Jaya pays £40 towards the £628 fee, and the remaining £588 is waived.
Worked example two: full remission with a child uplift
Sam and his new partner live together with Sam's 10-year-old. Their combined income is £2,400 a month and they have £3,000 in savings. Sam is applying for a financial consent order (£62 fee).
- Capital test: £3,000 is below £4,250, so he passes.
- Income test: the couple threshold is £2,130, plus £425 for the child aged 0 to 13, giving £2,555. Their £2,400 income is below that.
- Result: the fee is reduced to £0.
Note how the cap works at the other end. If your excess income is large enough that £5 per £10 reaches the fee amount, you get no help. On the £62 consent order fee, a single person more than £124 over the threshold would already hit the cap and pay the full £62.
Claiming a refund on a divorce fee you already paid
If you paid a court fee before you knew the scheme existed, you are not necessarily too late. You can reclaim a fee you paid in the last 3 months if you would have qualified at the time. You apply the same way, on form EX160, and ask for a repayment, showing that your income and capital at the date you paid met the criteria. Given the £628 divorce fee, this window is worth checking even after you have paid.
How to apply for Help with Divorce Fees
There are two routes, and both use the same assessment:
- Online: apply through the gov.uk Help with Fees service. You get a reference number to enter when you submit your divorce or financial application, so the fee is handled in one step.
- Paper: complete form EX160 and send it with your court forms. The EX160 form and EX160A guide walk through each question.
Apply at the same time as the court application wherever possible, rather than paying and reclaiming. You will be asked about income, savings, benefits and household make-up, and you may need to provide evidence such as bank statements or benefit awards.
Where Help with Divorce Fees fits in the bigger cost picture
Remission removes the court fee, but it does not make a divorce free if you use professional help. If you are trying to keep total costs down, it is worth reading how a DIY divorce without a solicitor works, and using our divorce cost calculator to model the full picture including drafting and mediation. Help with Fees is the first lever to pull; the route you choose is the bigger one.
This is general information, not legal or financial advice, and the scheme is assessed on your specific circumstances at the date you apply. If your finances are complex, or you are unsure how savings, benefits or a new partner affect your claim, a specialist family law firm can advise on the wider settlement as well as the fees. To be connected to one, get in touch and check your likely position first with the Help with Fees checker.