1. Double-check you really don’t qualify
Use the official Check if you can get legal aid service or call Civil Legal Advice on 0345 345 4345 [GOV.UK]. People often rule themselves out wrongly — for example, not realising that financial control counts as domestic abuse, or that mediation is legal-aided without any abuse evidence. If refusal would breach your human rights, ask about exceptional case funding [GOV.UK].
2. Free advice
- Citizens Advice — free, confidential help with separation, money, housing and children.
- Advicenow — independent guides written for people handling legal problems without a lawyer.
- Law Centres — not-for-profit legal advice; what they cover depends on the area.
- LawWorks clinics — free clinics run by volunteer lawyers “for people who are not eligible for legal aid and cannot afford to pay for a lawyer” [LawWorks]. Topics vary by clinic; use the clinic search to find one that covers family matters.
- Rights of Women — free legal advice lines for women, including family law.
- Support Through Court — practical support for people going to court without a lawyer.
3. Cut the official costs
- Do the divorce yourself online. The GOV.UK service is designed for people applying without a solicitor — see our step-by-step guide [GOV.UK].
- Help with Fees can reduce or remove the £628 court fee if you get certain benefits or have a low income [GOV.UK]. Check the limits.
- Mediation is legal-aided if you pass the means test, and where children are involved a voucher can contribute up to £500 — funded for 2026-27 [FMC]. How it works.
4. If you decide to pay for some help
You don’t have to hand over the whole case. Many people pay for a single piece of advice — for example a one-off review of a financial settlement — and do the rest themselves. Before paying anyone:
- Check they’re regulated. Search the SRA’s Solicitors Register [SRA]. Online “divorce services” are often not law firms — check what you’re buying.
- Ask for a written, fixed price and exactly what it covers, including whether court fees are extra.
- Know how to complain. The Legal Ombudsman handles complaints about lawyers and publishes tips on using a divorce lawyer [Legal Ombudsman].
We don’t currently recommend or take payment from any paid provider. If that changes, we will label it clearly and it will always come after the free routes on this page. See how this site is funded.
Be wary of
- Anyone who says they can “guarantee” legal aid or charges you to apply for it — checking is free and a legal aid provider applies for you [GOV.UK].
- Sites that look like government services but charge fees on top of the official £628 court fee.