I'm FINALLY starting divorce.. Need a hand hold and reassurance it will be smooth

[afreshstart2025]

I guess I'm looking for reassurance that I'm not about to open a huge can of worms for myself!

I left abusive husband 8 years ago. I told our baby with me and have moved to another town to hide from his community.

Husband was foreign and was removed from UK following his DV conviction and also because I revoked sponsorship of his UK spousal visa. The town were we were living had a big community of people from his country, he had many friends and associates there. Sadly because of this, it was no longer safe for me and our baby to stay there. Husband made threats to kill me or "have me killed" and also threatened to abduct our baby. For this reason, I fled with the baby and have no regrets. I've since built a happy and secure life for child and I. We've never been "found" by husband's UK-based friends.

Husband was sent back to his country and was blacklisted from entering the UK for at least 10 years.

There are various reasons I've not started the divorce sooner, mainly laziness on my part. It just wasn't high priority, as long as child and I were safe that's all that mattered.

However, I'm now in a very happy relationship with a man I can see a future with (not necessarily marriage), and I don't want this marriage handing over my head.
So, I decided to book an appointment with a divorce solicitor and get the ball rolling.

Solicitor quoted me a price for a straightforward divorce (leaving all my finances and disclosure of assets out of it. Because they are all in my sole name, husband never had any input and there were acquired AFTER I left the marriage). So I decided to go with this option. The price if just under £800 and he said it could POSSIBLY increase by a further £400 IF husband either can't be traced or refuses to cooperate with the process.

So, I've budgeted for this.

Has anyone divorced in a case similar to this? Was it straightforward?
Child has always lived with me and has no memory of father. It's not safe for me to take child to husband's country for a relationship with father's family because of the threat of abduction. Husband has no family in UK.

Most important question of all: Can my address be kept hidden from husband during the process? Last thing I need is it being leaked and having his UK-based friends turn up threatening me or worse.

I simply can't afford to have him find out our address, it's too risky.

You’ve been separated for more than five years so you don’t need consent. You could also do it yourself online for a whole lot cheaper.

Have you posted about this recently? Your post sounds familiar.

You need proper legal advice. Unfortunately, it is not possible to ringfence assets in UK divorce. You mention that you have acquired assets in your sole name since your separation. However, whilst you are still legally married, your husband still has a claim on them.

You also mentioned that you have entered into a new relationship. If you are already living together or intend to do so in the near future, your new partner will probably need to declare their earnings for the purpose of your financial settlement in divorce.

Although in theory you should be able to not disclose your home address to your husband, you will very probably need to if you own the house you live in as it will be counted as an asset of yours which you need to disclose.

This is a good price for a divorce only. However, please keep in mind (no doubt you have already been advised) that if you do not deal with the finances (i.e., reach a financial settlement either through solicitors or court) and have a financial consent order in place, future financial claims are not dismissed. This means your ex could make a claim to your assets in the future

And yes you can keep your address confidential.