What is No Fault Divorce Reforms?

The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020, which will take effect on April 6, 2022, will signal a significant shift in the divorce procedure, allowing spouses to legally dissolve their relationship without assigning blame. The term "no-fault divorce" refers to this change in the law.

The government is to introduce a ‘No Fault’ reform for divorce law. This will remove blame from divorce proceedings allowing couples to focus on the more important matters.

The current rules for divorce demand that one spouse must allege adultery or unreasonable behaviour for proceedings to begin. However, the ‘no fault’ route will allow either party to state that marriage has broken down irretrievably and stop a partner from refusing a divorce if in disagreement. The new rules will also include a minimum timeframe of six months from the petition stage to decree absolute.

The grounds for divorce in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are:

• Adultery
• Unreasonable behaviour
• Desertion
• Have lived apart for more than two years and both agree to the divorce
• Have lived apart for at least 5 years, even if one partner disagrees

The office of National Statistics shows that 42% of marriages in England and Wales end in divorce. In 2017, it was reported that there were 101,669 divorces among opposite-sex couples compared to 338 divorces among same-sex couples.

Separating parents especially can find it much harder to focus on the needs of the children when having to prove a fault-based fact against their ex-partner. The two-year wait makes it difficult for the former couple to move on and co-parent.

By introducing a ‘no-fault divorce and a six-month time frame, couples will be able to better reflect on their decision and move on with their lives much quicker.

At DV Solicitors we can offer you a package to includes legal fees and disbursements as well as a sensible payment plan to ensure that you can afford the rising cost of a divorce.

We can take the stress away from you by preparing all of the necessary paperwork and guiding you through to a swift conclusion. We also provide advice and assistance to Judicial Separation, Annulment and breakdown of Civil Partnerships.

Call us today on 01234 350 244 or email [email protected] to book an appointment.