Divorce mediation cost, and how the £500 voucher works

Divorce mediation costs around £120 per person for the first meeting, called a MIAM, then typically £130 to £170 per person per hour for mediation sessions, according to the Family Mediation Council. If your case involves children, a government voucher pays up to £500 towards the sessions, and legal aid makes mediation free if you qualify.

Mediation is where a trained, neutral mediator helps you and your ex agree arrangements for money, property or children, without a judge. It's usually far cheaper than going to court, and the two of you stay in control of the outcome. Here's what you'll pay, and how to pay less.

How much does a MIAM cost?

A Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) usually costs around £120 per person, though prices vary between mediators. You each have your own meeting, separately, so the mediator can check that mediation is suitable and safe. You don't pay anything for a MIAM if either of you qualifies for legal aid (GOV.UK).

The MIAM has to be with a mediator accredited by the Family Mediation Council (FMC). Only accredited mediators can sign the part of the court form that confirms you've been to one (Resolution), and you'll usually need that signature before you can apply to court about children or money.

How much do mediation sessions cost?

The FMC gives £130 to £170 per person per hour as a guide for mediation sessions, with the same rate charged for drafting the documents that record what you've agreed. The price depends on where you live and how much there is to resolve (Family Mediation Council). Some mediators charge a fixed fee per session instead of by the hour, so ask for a written price list before you start.

A worked example

Say you need three sessions of 90 minutes, at £150 an hour each, the middle of the FMC's range. That's £225 per person per session, or £675 each over three sessions, so £1,350 for the two of you. Add £120 each for the MIAMs and the total is £1,590. If your case involves the children and the voucher applies, £500 comes off the mediation fees, leaving £1,090 between you, or £545 each if you split it evenly. Drafting the paperwork would be extra. This is an illustration, not a quote: your mediator will give you their own figures.

How many mediation sessions will we need?

It depends on how much there is to agree and how far apart you are. Your mediator will estimate the number of sessions at the start (Family Mediation Council). Arrangements for children can sometimes be settled quickly. Money usually takes longer, because you'll both need to share full details of your income, property, pensions and debts before you can negotiate. Having those documents ready before the first session is one of the most effective ways to cut the bill: see our guide to getting organised before divorce, or Form E, section by section, which uses the same headings mediators ask about.

How does the £500 mediation voucher work?

The Family Mediation Voucher Scheme pays up to £500 towards the cost of mediation for families with a dispute about a child. It also covers financial disputes if you're also in a dispute about a child, but not money-only cases. There's one voucher per family, it doesn't cover the MIAM, and you don't apply for it yourself: your mediator raises it at the MIAM and claims it for you (GOV.UK). It isn't means-tested, and GOV.UK says the voucher usually pays for at least two sessions, depending on where you live and the type of mediation.

The scheme is time-limited. In March 2026 the FMC confirmed that funding would continue for the 2026 to 2027 financial year (Family Mediation Council), and in May 2026 the government was reported to have extended it into 2027 with a further £7 million (Family Law). GOV.UK gives no closing date and says vouchers are limited, so ask your mediator whether they're still available when you book your MIAM.

Can I get legal aid for mediation?

Yes, if you're financially eligible. If you both qualify, legal aid covers the MIAMs, any mediation sessions and the application for a consent order. If only one of you qualifies, legal aid covers both of your MIAMs and the first joint session, then the eligible person's costs after that (GOV.UK). You can check if you can get legal aid on GOV.UK, and a mediator who does legal aid work can assess you at the MIAM.

Do I have to go to mediation before court?

You usually have to attend a MIAM before applying to court about children or finances, but there are exemptions. Under the Family Procedure Rules, you don't need one if, for example (Family Procedure Rules, Part 3):

• there's evidence of domestic abuse
• a child is the subject of local authority child protection enquiries or a child protection plan
• the application is urgent because of a risk to someone's safety or to a child
• you went to a MIAM or other form of non-court dispute resolution about the same dispute in the last four months
• for a financial application, one of you is bankrupt
• you can't attend because of a disability or because there's no accredited mediator within 15 miles, or none available within 15 business days

The mediation sessions themselves are voluntary. Even so, the court has to consider at every stage whether you should try another way of resolving things, and it can pause a case so that you do.

Is mediation cheaper than going to court?

Usually, by a wide margin. Asking a court to decide your finances starts with a £321 application fee (GOV.UK), and if you instruct solicitors, each side pays its own legal costs. The official guideline hourly rates for an experienced solicitor outside London are £288 to £295 in 2026 (GOV.UK), and contested cases run to many hours. A few sessions of mediation cost a fraction of that. Our guide to how much a divorce costs compares every route, and the divorce cost calculator gives you an estimate for your situation.

Once you've agreed the finances, the mediator writes up what you've decided. That summary isn't legally binding on its own. To make it binding you need a court order, which costs £62: see consent orders and clean break orders.

The cheapest mediation is the one where both of you arrive with your paperwork done and a clear idea of what matters most.

How do I find an accredited mediator?

Search the Family Mediation Council's register, which lists every FMC-registered mediator and shows whether they're accredited (Family Mediation Council). You can also find an accredited mediator on divorcd. Before you book, ask:

• what they charge for the MIAM, each session and drafting, and whether that includes VAT
• whether they still have access to the £500 voucher
• whether they do legal aid work
• whether they offer sessions online, or shuttle mediation where you sit in separate rooms

Common questions

Sources

1. GOV.UK, Making child arrangements: mediation and MIAMs
2. Family Mediation Council, How much does mediation cost?
3. GOV.UK, Family Mediation Voucher Scheme
4. Family Mediation Council, Funding of the voucher scheme for 2026 to 2027 (27 March 2026)
5. Family Law, Family mediation voucher scheme extended amid sharp rise in uptake (18 May 2026)
6. Family Procedure Rules, Part 3: non-court dispute resolution
7. Resolution, Mediation information and assessment meetings
8. GOV.UK, Family court fees (EX50), updated 13 July 2026
9. GOV.UK, Solicitors' guideline hourly rates 2026
10. Family Mediation Council, Find a local mediator

Keep reading

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Laws, fees and figures change, so check the sources above and speak to a qualified professional about your situation. Facts checked 20 October 2026.