Applying for help with divorce costs UK?

[LancesGold]

I am wanting to start divorce proceedings (husband left family home in December 2019)

I am currently claiming UC and have less than £3000 savings so believe I may be entitled to help with divorce costs. However the online form to apply for divorce states you need to pay the £550 fee when applying?

Can anyone advise on the procedure when you require help with costs please? I know there is a form for applying for help with the costs but not sure how that translates into applying for the actual divorce?

Any help much appreciated. I want him Divorced ASAP ideally

Does this help?

www.gov.uk/get-help-with-court-fees

@MrsBertBibby I'm trying to find out If you can actually fill in the form for filing divorce when you can't pay the £550 fee. It says you need the money to apply. It doesnt explain what to do if you're applying to have your fees paid.

I think I'll ring the help line. Thank you though:)

@LancesGold please could you post when you find out, you've reminded me that I really ought to get around to sorting out divorcing stbxh!

You certainly can use the online petition service when you are claiming fees exemption, but as a solicitor, the procedures are different for us than for litigants in person so I've never done it.

I think you do the fee exemption application online first, then use the code they give you when you start your divorce.

The way I read that help page linked to is that you need to apply for help with your costs first.

Once you’ve done that, presumably there will then be a reference number to add to your divorce application which will waive/reduce the fee.

@FanPanCan That made me laugh. "Must buy milk, pay gas bill, divorce useless SOB husband"

Now that I've looked again I think you're all right regarding the procedure. I'm going to fill in the help with costs form now. Thank you very much.

Just gone through this myself (waiting on the decree nisi) and you apply for help with costs first. I did it online which gives you a reference number which you then put on the divorce application which I subsequently did online also. I did not have to pay the £550 at the time of application as it gets sent off for both applications to be checked. They then get in touch to say if it has been approved/rejected or if you need to pay anything towards the fee.

I'm very forgetful! Could you show me where the help with costs form is Op? I'm clueless!

It's linked in the second post.

Ah, yes, thank you. Finally made a start 😁