Seperated for 16 years need advice on help with divorce costs

anxiousknot

hi
I have been seperated from my husband for 16 years and am looking to get divorced. I asume it would be fairly straightforward as we have been seperated for a long time,have no joint finances and our son is now 16.
I have spent a few hours online trying to find up to date information on financial help and am not much clearer on the help i can apply for. I do not claim income support although i have an underlying entitlement to it. I receive carers allowance,child tax credits and child benefit around £290 a week in total. Can anybody tell me if i would be able to claim help with the court costs please

selloptape

This site could help -

http://www.wikivorce.com/divorce/

Good luck x

antrobus

anxiousknot wrote: »

.... Can anybody tell me if i would be able to claim help with the court costs please

Legal aid is no longer available in England and Wales to pay the legal costs of divorce or dissolution unless there’s been domestic violence or child abduction. However, you can apply for legal aid to pay for mediation, although this is means-tested

https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/how-to-pay-legal-fees-on-divorce-or-dissolution

harrys_nan

https://www.gov.uk/divorce/file-for-divorce

Read down the "Court Fees"
Good luck

WillowCat

If you get income support you are entitled to full fee remission. I note that you say 'underlying entitlement' so I'm not sure if you will qualify or not, but your local court should be able to advise. If you do not qualify on income support grounds you may be able to apply for full or partial remission on income grounds. In any case qualification is also subject to capital limits which are stricter than for means tested benefits.

The application form and guidance notes are here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-help-with-court-and-tribunal-fees

The forms say that they will contact DWP to confirm benefit entitlement - I have had correctly filled out forms returned twice as DWP denied my entitlement, so I had to send in a copy of benefit letter (dated within 3 months) anyway. This was probably due to it being my partner being the main claimant however. Just a heads up in case you get an initial rejection.