How Much Does a Consent Order Cost in the UK?

How Much Does a Consent Order Cost?

If you are considering getting a consent order during or after a divorce, one of the most common questions people ask is: how much does a consent order cost in the UK?

The cost can vary depending on whether you prepare the consent order yourself or use a solicitor or specialist service. However, there are usually two main costs involved.

1. The Court Fee

To submit a consent order for approval, there is a court application fee but don't worry it isn't anywhere near the amount of the divorce court fee.

Currently, the court fee for submitting a consent order in England and Wales is £60 (as of March 2026) and normally rises every April.

This fee is paid to the court when the consent order documents are sent to a judge for approval.

2. Professional Fees for Drafting the Consent Order

Many couples choose to have the consent order prepared by a solicitor or divorce specialist to ensure the document is correctly drafted and accepted by the court.

Typical costs can range from £300 – £1,200 for straightforward consent orders prepared by specialist services or £1,800 – £5,000+ when using traditional solicitors.

Costs often depend on factors such as:

• whether property is involved

• pension arrangements

• the complexity of the financial agreement

• whether both parties have fully agreed on the settlement

Note that these are costs for a consent order on the assumption that you are in agreement, if you are not in agreement the costs are hard to estimate as you will need to spend money negotiating and getting advice.

Negotiation costs can be high, anywhere from £15,000 to £80,000 and depend on how long it takes you to agree.

Can You Do a Consent Order Yourself?

It is technically possible to prepare and submit a consent order without professional assistance. However, the court requires all documents to be accurately drafted and accompanied by a financial disclosure document. If the paperwork is incomplete or unclear, a judge will refuse to approve the order which causes delays and puts you back at square 1. Judges are very picky with consent orders and they will not approve anything that is 100% correct and meets their strict criteria and formatting.

For this reason, many people choose to use a specialist service to ensure the application is prepared correctly.

If you are unfamiliar with the process, you may find it helpful to first read our guide: Getting A Consent Order in Divorce: Process and Timings in the UK

Why People Choose to Pay for a Consent Order

Although there are costs involved, many divorcing couples consider a consent order the most important part of a divorce. It grants financial freedom, peace of mind and is the only legally binding way to separate assets upon divorce.

The drafting fee of a consent order can be the best thing to spend money on during the entire divorce process, if you have done your divorce yourself, kudos to you but this is a different beast, trust me.

Save yourself the stress and headache knowing its being done properly.

So, How Much Does a Consent Order Cost in the UK?

In most cases, the total cost includes the £60 court fee plus any professional fees for preparing the document which on average is about £650 for non-solicitors.

If you would like to learn more about the role consent orders play in divorce, you can read our article: What Is a Consent Order?, which explains how they work and what they include.

If you are thinking about getting a consent order, give us a call for a free consultation. You can view our consent order services here.

Written by Aaron O'Toole, MSc in Law and Business

Clean Break Divorce