Free Divorce Information

There is all manner of information available about divorce in the UK. Depending upon what sort of information you are looking for, some sources are better than others.

Statistics

The best and most reliable site for looking at statistics relating to divorce, and in fact any figures regarding the social structure of the UK is the UK Statistics Authority. Here you can loose yourself in reams of information which looks at statistics for marriage, divorce, annulments over the years. You can research trends of religion, age, reasons for divorce, and numbers and ages children involved.

Complete government resources for divorce

The UK government's website encompasses a whole advisory service for those who are considering or undergoing a divorce. There is information on how to look after your children during this unsettling period and information regarding mediation processes to help you avoid divorce altogether.

This is a really useful information site, and wholly accessible to anyone looking for advice. There is the comfort of knowing that the information provided is from reliable source, and clear explanations of what will happen during the divorce process and what questions you should be asking along the way.

Contained within the site are links to all the other official resources you may require, which will be discussed below.

Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)

The Citizens Advice Bureau is another complete government resource when looking for advice about divorce. The website itself explains every element of divorce in detail. If you have specific questions you need to ask, or don't think your situation is covered by the site, there is a directory of all the CAB centres where you can visit to speak to someone in person to discuss your concerns. The Citizens Advice Bureau have centres throughout the UK, and are the best place to go to have all your rights explained to you. They can also assist you in finding the right legal advice, and help with applications for benefits and filling in forms for other services such as the Courts, Legal Aid and Child Support Agency.

The Courts Service

If you need to start divorce proceedings Her Majesty's Courts Service is a good place to start. They provide well written advice on where to start and how to respond at each stage of the proceedings. All the forms you will need, whether applying for a 'quickie' divorce or going through the courts are available to download. You can also locate your nearest county court, which will accept and decide upon your petition.

Financial Assistance with your Divorce Costs

Some residents in the UK may be entitled from some help covering the costs of divorce proceedings. To find out whether you are eligible, visit the Legal Services Commission website. Legal Aid assistance is generally only available to those on government benefits, and where there are matrimonial assets to be divided Legal Aid will recoup their costs before finances are allocated.

Counselling Information

If you, or members of your family are struggling to overcome the emotional trauma of divorce you can contact British Association for Counselling or Relate for information on who best to speak to depending on your circumstances and requirements.

Information Regarding Children's Welfare during Divorce

The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) focuses on the care of children during a divorce. They will work together with the parents and children, giving specialist advice on the best way to proceed. Once discussions have reached a suitable agreement the CAFCASS will present these recommendations to the Family Court to ensure the best outcome for the child/children. They have people specialised in talking one-to-one with your children, and finding out what they think they would like to happen. Making children feel that they are involved and relevant in the decisions to be made which will determine their future is important in helping them deal with the effects of the divorce.

National Society for Children and Family Contact is a charity-run organisation which aims to help families who have separated maintain continuing contact. They consider relationships with extended family such as grandparents, uncles, aunties, etc. All of these suffer when a family breaks down. Often where one parent moves away to start a new life keeping in touch with other members of the family can fall by the wayside. It is important in any child's development that they experience relationships with all members of their family.

The Child Support Agency is an agency specifically set up to deal with child maintenance calculations and payments. They will search for an absent parent and can arrange to have payments deducted from a parent's pay before they even receive it. You may be able to organise this part of things with your partner, and without the help of the CSA, however where one parent is trying to avoid making payments which may even have been decided by the Family Court, the CSA are a valuable agency for helping obtain what has been awarded to you.

Why Choose Government Resources?

It is best to start with the sites mentioned above when starting your search for any kind of information relating to divorce. The facts and figures contained within these sites, and the information provided is more reliable than some other sources.

There are plenty of websites and organisations available who are happy to offer advice and information on divorce in the UK, and those that have done their research may give you what you require, especially if they have started at government resources.

The sites above are given as the people you need to contact in order to get things moving, and are responsible for processing legal information such as the actual divorce, obtaining maintenance, help with organising custody and visitation rights, and also your personal right during and after a divorce.

The information is given clearly to the lay-man, in non-condescending and practical manner. This can be a blessing when going through a divorce. You can find that all in sundry would like to offer you information and advice during these periods. However, it can be given in a pitying way which is no good for your self-esteem, and is simply not helpful in getting things over and done with, and done properly.

Here are additional resources you might be interested in:

How to Conduct a Do-It-Yourself Divorce in the UK?

How much does it Cost to Hire a Divorce Lawyer in UK?

Where can I Find Divorce Support Groups in the UK?

Is the Divorce Rate Increasing in the UK?

Divorce Statistics in the UK

There's an excellent ebook about deciding whether to Get a Divorce or Stay In the Relationship. Every couple should read this before making the decision.

If you're on the verge of having a divorce, read this to Save Your Marriage.