20 May 2026 · 5 min read
Legal aid is gone, and divorce costs have soared. The real impact.
In 2012, the government made a change to legal aid that has reshaped how hundreds of thousands of people experience divorce in England and Wales. LASPO removed almost all private family law matters from the scope of legal aid funding. The effects have been profound.
The numbers tell the story
- In 2013, 41% of private family law cases had both parties legally represented
- By 2024, that figure had fallen to just 19%
- Cases where neither party had legal representation rose from 13% in 2013 to 39% in 2024
The average cost of divorce in the UK today is estimated at £14,561. For contested financial proceedings, costs can reach £10,000–£30,000 per person. A 2024 survey found that 19% of people who wanted a divorce postponed it for financial reasons.
What fills the gap
In the absence of legal aid, a patchwork of alternatives has emerged:
- Fixed-fee online divorce services
- Fixed-fee consent order drafting
- The government's Family Mediation Voucher Scheme (up to £500, extended until March 2027)
- McKenzie Friends
None of these fully replace specialist legal advice. But they represent the reality of how most people now navigate one of the most financially significant events of their lives.
The most important thing anyone can do, before this situation arises, is to establish a clear, signed financial agreement with their partner. Not because it replaces a solicitor, but because it gives both parties a fair starting point that costs a fraction of what contested proceedings do.
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