Divorce is one of the hardest things most people go through, and the information out there is often confusing, out of date or quietly selling something. We built divorcd so you'd have one place to get straight answers, find the right help and talk to people who understand.
Who runs divorcd
divorcd is run by DIVORCD LTD, an independent company registered in England and Wales (company number 17502663), incorporated on 6 October 2026. Our registered office is 33 Smithies Lane, Barnsley, England, S71 1RD.
divorcd was founded by Paige Thomson, who runs it day to day. We're a small, independent company. We're not a law firm and we don't give legal, financial or medical advice. We explain how things work, point you to free and official help and, if you want it, introduce you to professionals who can advise on your situation.
Why Paige started divorcd
Paige has worked as a careers adviser for most of her career, and in that time she has spoken to many people from all walks of life. She found a lot of support for people going through a divorce, but kept asking what was there for the time before it, or after it, and why the answers weren't all in one place. That's why divorcd covers all three stages: thinking about it, going through it and life after divorce.
She had also seen how lonely divorce can be. Sometimes you don't want to tell your friends how you're feeling, and if they're friends with your spouse too, it puts you in an awkward position. Paige wanted people to have someone else to talk to: a peer who is going through it with them. That idea became the divorcd members' community.
What divorcd is for
We cover every stage, from thinking about divorce and going through a divorce to life after divorce. On divorcd you'll find:
- Guides on the legal process, money, children and looking after yourself, written in plain English.
- A directory of charities, public services and organisations that help, from mediation and money advice to mental health and domestic abuse support.
- Get matched, where you tell us what's going on and we introduce you to solicitors, mediators, financial advisers, therapists or divorce coaches.
- A members' community, opening on Monday 4 January 2027, with moderated rooms where you can talk to other people going through the same thing, anonymously.
Who writes our guides
Every guide and tool on divorcd is written by Paige Thomson, our founder, and her name is on each one. Paige is not a solicitor, barrister or financial adviser, and she doesn't present herself as one. Her job is to read the official rules, fees and statistics, explain them clearly and show you exactly where each fact comes from.
Our guides are not reviewed by a solicitor. We say so plainly so you can weigh what you read. That's also why every figure is linked to its source, and why each guide tells you when it's worth paying for advice about your own situation.
How we check every figure
Every fee, time limit, statistic and legal rule in a guide is checked against a primary source before it's published:
- GOV.UK and HM Courts and Tribunals Service for court steps, forms, fees and Help with Fees.
- legislation.gov.uk for the law itself, such as the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 and the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973.
- Ministry of Justice Family Court Statistics Quarterly for how long divorces and court cases take.
- Office for National Statistics for the number of divorces and who applies.
For practical guidance we also draw on official and not-for-profit bodies such as Cafcass, the Child Maintenance Service, MoneyHelper, Citizens Advice, Advicenow, the Family Mediation Council and Resolution. Each source is linked where it's used and listed in a numbered Sources section at the end of the guide, so you can check anything for yourself.
A few rules we stick to:
- We don't make up statistics, quotes, case studies, reviews or credentials. If we can't verify a figure from a reliable source, we leave it out.
- Prices for private services, such as online divorce companies or solicitors, come from published prices or official guideline rates. We name the basis and describe them as typical, never guaranteed.
- Anything touching abuse or crisis includes free, 24-hour helplines. Our safeguarding page has the full list.
- No one can pay to change what a guide says.
How often guides are reviewed
Each guide shows a "Facts checked" date near the top. That's the date its fees, timings and legal terms were last checked against the sources. We re-check:
- every guide at least every six months, and update the "Facts checked" date when we do;
- court fees every July, when the government usually changes them, and straight away if a change is announced at another time;
- court waiting times each quarter, when the Ministry of Justice publishes new figures;
- any guide affected by a change in the law, as soon as the change is confirmed.
Which law our guides cover
Divorce law differs within the UK: Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own law and their own courts. Every legal guide says clearly, near the top, which law it covers. Most cover the law in England and Wales.
Information, not advice
Our guides are general information. They explain how the system works, but they can't take account of your circumstances, and they aren't legal, financial or tax advice. It's worth speaking to a qualified professional, such as a family solicitor, a mediator or a regulated financial adviser, when:
- you're about to agree or sign a financial settlement, particularly if it involves a house, a pension or a business;
- your ex has a solicitor and you don't;
- you can't agree about the children or money and are thinking about going to court;
- you've received court papers with a deadline;
- you're worried about your safety or your children's safety.
If cost is a worry, start with free help: Citizens Advice, Advicenow and the organisations in our directory. If you want a professional, get matched with a family solicitor or mediator or browse our list of experts.
How we make money
divorcd is free to use if you're looking for help. Our income comes from professionals who pay a flat fee to be listed as divorcd partners, from our members' community, which is a paid membership, and from a small number of downloads such as workbooks and planners. In future we may also earn commission from some services we mention, and we'll always say so where that applies. We never charge professionals a referral fee or take a share of what you pay them. The full details are on how we make money.
How paid listings are labelled
Professionals who pay to be listed are always labelled "divorcd partner". They appear first in Find an expert and Get matched. Everyone else is labelled "Listed from public information ยท not a divorcd partner", so you can always tell the difference.
Before a professional can become a partner, we check them against their professional register, such as the Solicitors Regulation Authority for solicitors, the Family Mediation Council for mediators and the Financial Conduct Authority for financial advisers, and we check their insurance. Divorce coaching isn't regulated, so we only list coaches who hold a recognised coaching accreditation and have several years' experience.
Charities and public services in our directory are never charged. We list them because they help.
Corrections and how to report a mistake
If you think something in a guide is wrong or out of date, please tell us. Email [email protected] or use our contact page, and include the page, what you think is wrong and, if you have one, the source.
We check every report against the primary source. If we got something wrong, we correct the guide and update its "Facts checked" date.
Please don't send sensitive details about your case. If you need advice, we can introduce you to the right professional.