Most people divorce without a lawyer, here's what that means for you

If you're going through a divorce and wondering whether you really need a solicitor, you're not alone, and you're not being reckless. The data shows the majority of people in England and Wales now navigate divorce without full legal representation.

According to Ministry of Justice Family Court Statistics, in 2024 39% of private family law cases had neither party represented by a solicitor, up from just 13% in 2013. That's a threefold increase in a decade. Only 19% of cases had both parties legally represented, down from 41% in 2013.

The shift is largely driven by cost. Legal aid for private family law matters was removed in 2012 under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO). The average cost of a divorce in the UK today is estimated at £14,561, a sum that puts full solicitor representation out of reach for many.

What "unrepresented" actually means

It doesn't mean someone handled everything alone with no professional input. The court statistics count someone as unrepresented if no solicitor's name is recorded on the case file. In practice, many people:

• Use online DIY divorce services for the administrative process
• Attend mediation with a neutral mediator
• Get one-off legal advice without formally instructing a solicitor
• Use fixed-fee drafting services to prepare a consent order

The divorce process itself has become increasingly straightforward since the introduction of no-fault divorce in April 2022. Many people complete it online via GOV.UK for a court fee of £612.

Where it gets more complicated: finances

The divorce itself is one thing. The financial settlement is another, and this is where going completely without any professional input carries real risk. Without a formally approved consent order, any financial agreement you make with your ex is not legally binding.

The good news is that you don't need to instruct a solicitor for the full process to get a consent order. Fixed-fee drafting services exist precisely for people who've already agreed the terms and just need the document professionally prepared and submitted.

The bottom line

Going through a divorce without a full-service solicitor is now the norm, not the exception. The key is understanding where professional input genuinely matters, and financial agreements are top of that list. Starting with a clear, signed financial agreement before you reach that point puts you in a fundamentally better position.