Form A: UK divorce financial proceedings application explained

Form A is your first step in court if you need to sort out money and property after divorce. It tells the court you want to apply for financial relief. This guide walks you through what happens next.

The short version

Form A (Notice of Intention to Proceed with a Financial Application) starts financial proceedings in the Family Court. You file it after your decree nisi or decree absolute (the formal divorce). You must attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) first, unless you have a good reason not to. Then you exchange financial information (Form E), attend hearings where a judge listens to both sides, and either settle with a consent order or go to final hearing.

At a glance

What Form A is

Form A is a legal document that formally notifies the court and the other person that you are applying for financial relief (money, property, pensions). You file it in the Family Court. It means you are saying: "I want the court to decide how our money and property should be divided."

You use Form A after your divorce is final (decree nisi or decree absolute). You cannot use it during the divorce itself. The financial claim is separate from the divorce order.

Form A covers:

• Lump sum payments
• Property orders
• Pension sharing orders
• Spousal maintenance (payments to support the other person)
• Child maintenance (child support)
• Other financial relief

The court does not automatically divide your money. You must ask for it using Form A.

Difference from Form D8

Form D8 is the divorce petition. It dissolves the marriage. Form A is the financial application. It divides the money and property.

Many people use D8 to claim for financial relief at the same time as divorce. But once the decree absolute is final, you cannot change your financial claims. If you did not claim on D8, you can still use Form A later (usually within three years of divorce, but you can apply after that with the court's permission).

Some couples handle finances informally: they agree on everything without going to court. If you want a formal court order to protect yourself, use Form A.

MIAM: Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting requirement

Before you file Form A, you must attend a MIAM. The mediator is a trained professional who meets with you (and usually the other person, in separate sessions) to discuss whether mediation can help you reach agreement.

MIAM is not mediation itself. It is a single assessment meeting. You do not have to agree to mediation. But you must attend MIAM first.

You are exempt from MIAM if:

• You have a genuine risk of domestic abuse or child abuse (you can apply to court to waive it)
• You are in an emergency situation (court can order you to attend later)
• You have already been to mediation in the last four months
• You apply for a court order without delay because of urgency

If you claim an exemption, you must file evidence with your Form A explaining why.

The MIAM costs around £120 to £180 and takes about one hour.

How to apply

You file Form A online via the MyHMCTS portal (the court's online system) or on paper to your local Family Court.

To file online:

1. Create a MyHMCTS account
2. Complete Form A electronically
3. Pay the court fee (currently £275)
4. Submit and receive a case number

To file on paper:

1. Print Form A and fill it in by hand
2. Sign it
3. Take or post it to the Family Court with two copies
4. Enclose your MIAM certificate (proof you attended)
5. Pay the fee by cheque or postal order

The court sends a copy to the other person (the respondent). They have 14 days to acknowledge receipt (acknowledge the form).

Court fee

The court fee for Form A is £275 (as of 2026). You can apply for a fee exemption or reduction if you receive certain benefits or your income is below a threshold.

If you qualify for a fee exemption, the fee is waived. If you qualify for a reduction, you pay a lower amount.

You apply for fee exemption or reduction on Form EX160. Submit it with Form A.

Form E: Financial disclosure exchange

Within 35 days of the other person receiving Form A, both of you must file a Form E (Statement of Financial Circumstances). This is a detailed list of all your money, property, debts, and income.

Form E includes:

• Property owned (house, other property)
• Bank accounts and savings
• Investments, shares, insurance policies
• Pensions
• Income (salary, self-employment, benefits)
• Debts (mortgages, loans, credit cards)
• Monthly expenditure (living costs)
• Other assets

You must be honest and complete. You sign a statement of truth, which is a legal declaration. If you lie, you can be prosecuted for contempt of court.

You can apply to court to extend the deadline for Form E if you need more time.

If the other person does not file Form E, the court can sanction them (fine, order costs against them, or strike out their case).

First Directions Appointment (FDA)

About 12 weeks after you file Form A, the court lists the First Directions Appointment (FDA). This is a hearing in front of a judge (usually in person or by video).

At the FDA, the judge:

• Reviews the evidence you have both filed
• Confirms the issues in dispute (what you disagree about)
• Makes directions (orders) about what happens next
• Sets a timetable for further statements or evidence
• May make interim orders (temporary orders about money or property pending the final hearing)

The FDA is not about settlement. It is about getting organised for the rest of the case.

Both of you must attend, usually with legal representation. If you do not attend without good reason, the judge can proceed in your absence.

Financial Dispute Resolution hearing

About 16 weeks after filing, the court may list a Financial Dispute Resolution (FDR) hearing. This is a special hearing where a judge tries to help you settle without going to final hearing.

The judge is not the judge who will hear your final case. The FDR is confidential: anything said is not admissible in court later (you can say things you would not say if the judge was deciding).

The process:

1. Both of you and your lawyers sit separately
2. The judge meets each side privately
3. The judge explains the strengths and weaknesses of each case
4. The judge suggests possible settlements
5. The judge uses negotiations to see if you can reach agreement

If you settle at FDR, you prepare a consent order and the judge approves it.

If you do not settle, the case is listed for final hearing.

FDR is not compulsory, but the court will order it unless there is good reason not to (such as obvious domestic abuse or one party being unwilling to settle).

Final hearing if no settlement

If you do not reach agreement at FDR (or if FDR does not take place), the case goes to final hearing.

At final hearing:

• Both sides present evidence (statements, documents, expert reports)
• Witnesses give evidence and are cross-examined
• Both lawyers make legal arguments
• The judge decides the financial relief

The final hearing usually takes one to three days, depending on complexity.

The judge issues a judgment with reasons explaining the decision.

Consent order if you settle

If you and the other person agree on how to divide the money and property, you create a consent order. This is a court order that both of you agree to.

A consent order is a formal legal document. Both of you must understand it and sign it (usually through your lawyers). It is then sent to court for a judge to approve.

The judge will only approve if:

• The agreement is fair and reasonable
• Both of you understand what you are agreeing to
• Neither of you is under pressure or duress
• The terms make sense in light of your circumstances

A consent order is final. You cannot go back to court later and ask the judge to change it (unless there are very exceptional circumstances, such as new evidence of fraud).

A consent order is binding and enforceable. If either person breaches it, the other can apply to court for enforcement.

What the court considers

If you go to final hearing, the judge applies the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, section 25 factors. The judge must consider:

1. The welfare of any child is paramount
2. Income and earning capacity of both parties
3. Capital and property owned by both parties
4. Financial needs, obligations and responsibilities of both parties
5. Standard of living enjoyed before breakdown
6. Age of parties and length of marriage
7. Physical or mental disability
8. Contributions made by each party (earning, homemaking, childcare)
9. Any conduct that is unjust to disregard
10. Value of benefits you would lose (such as pension)

The judge balances these factors. The aim is not to give each person exactly half (equal division is not automatic), but to reach a fair settlement based on need, compensation, and sharing of marital property.

Day to day: the timeline

Weeks 1 to 4:

• You attend MIAM
• You file Form A with court fee and MIAM certificate
• Court sends a sealed copy to the other person

Weeks 2 to 3:

• Other person acknowledges receipt
• You prepare Form E (financial disclosure)

Weeks 3 to 4:

• Both of you file Form E with court
• Both of you prepare witness statements explaining your position
• You exchange supporting documents (bank statements, valuation reports, etc.)

Weeks 8 to 12:

• Court prepares for FDA
• Both parties file legal arguments (skeleton arguments)
• You or your lawyer meets the judge at FDA
• Judge makes directions for next steps

Weeks 12 to 16:

• You file any further evidence or expert reports
• Court prepares for FDR
• You attend FDR hearing
• Judge tries to settle the case

Weeks 16 to 20 (if no settlement):

• Both parties prepare for final hearing
• You serve final evidence and submissions
• You attend final hearing
• Judge makes decision

If you settle:

• You prepare a consent order
• Judge approves it
• Case is closed

The timeline can change. Courts set their own listing dates. Emergencies, illness, or requests for extension can delay matters.

Common misconceptions

Misconception 1: "I have to split everything 50/50." No. The judge considers all the section 25 factors. Some marriages end with a 60/40 split or other arrangement.

Misconception 2: "I can ignore Form A if I do not go to court." If you do not file Form A, you lose your right to claim for financial relief. After three years from decree absolute, you cannot file Form A without the court's permission.

Misconception 3: "The judge will side with whoever earns more." No. The judge looks at need, contribution, and conduct. A homemaker who raised children has contributed even if they did not earn money.

Misconception 4: "Mediation is compulsory." MIAM is mandatory (unless exempt). Mediation itself is voluntary. Many people settle in mediation, but you can choose to go to court.

Misconception 5: "I do not have to disclose all my money in Form E." You must disclose everything. Lying in Form E is contempt of court and can result in prison. The court has powers to investigate if it thinks someone is hiding assets.

Misconception 6: "A consent order can be changed later if circumstances change." Very rarely. Once a judge approves a consent order, it is final. You would need to prove fraud or a material change in circumstances. This is a high bar.

Related concepts

• Decree nisi and decree absolute: The two stages of divorce. Form A usually comes after decree absolute.
• Form D8: The divorce petition. Where you can claim financial relief at the same time as divorce.
• Matrimonial Causes Act 1973: The law that governs divorce and financial relief.
• Form E: The financial disclosure form both parties must file.
• Interim order: A temporary court order (for example, to pay money to the other person pending final hearing).
• Spousal maintenance: Money one person pays to support the other person after divorce.
• Child maintenance: Money for support of children (separate from the court's financial relief order).
• Pension sharing order: A court order that divides a pension between the parties.
• Lump sum: A one-off payment instead of ongoing maintenance.
• Consent order: A court order both parties agree to.

Sources

• UK Government: Form A guidance
• The Judiciary: Family Court guidance
• Ministry of Justice: Family courts

Written by Peter Kolomiets, founder of CaseCalm. UK content reviewed 2026-05-28.

Disclaimer: This page provides information about UK divorce financial proceedings. It is not legal advice. If you need legal advice about your case, please consult a qualified family lawyer or contact Legal Aid.