Divorce Solicitors in Llandudno & Conwy

Getting divorced in England and Wales

Since April 2022 you no longer have to blame your spouse. You can apply on your own (a sole application) or together (a joint application), and simply state that the marriage has broken down irretrievably. The court accepts that as enough.

To apply, you need to have been married for at least a year, your marriage must be legally recognised here, and the courts of England and Wales must have jurisdiction, which usually means that one or both of you live here. We will check all of this with you at the start. Ending a civil partnership (a dissolution) follows the same process. If you are not ready to divorce yet, see our guide to separating from your spouse.

The divorce process, step by step

1. The application. One of you applies, or you apply together, usually online. The court fee is £628 and covers the whole divorce.
2. The application is issued. On a sole application, your spouse is sent the papers and asked to respond within 14 days.
3. A 20-week reflection period. The law requires at least 20 weeks between the application being issued and your applying for the conditional order. It is time to reflect and, if you need to, to sort out money and arrangements for any children.
4. The conditional order. After the 20 weeks, you confirm that you still want to divorce and apply for the conditional order. This is the court saying it sees no reason why you cannot divorce.
5. Six weeks and a day. There is a minimum wait of six weeks and one day between the conditional order and applying for the final order.
6. The final order. This legally ends the marriage.

That makes about 26 weeks as a minimum. How long it takes in practice depends on the court and on how quickly everything else is agreed. To see your own dates, try our divorce timeline calculator.

Sorting out money and property

Getting divorced does not settle your finances. Until you have a court-approved financial order, either of you can in principle still make a financial claim against the other, even years later. A financial order can deal with the family home, savings, investments, businesses, debts and pensions, and can include a “clean break” so that neither of you has future claims on the other.

If you reach an agreement, we draft a consent order and ask the court to approve it (the court fee is £62). If you cannot agree, we can negotiate, use mediation, or ask the court to decide (the court fee is £321). We generally advise dealing with finances before the final order is made, because ending the marriage can affect some rights, such as pension benefits. Read our guides to financial settlements on divorce and pensions on divorce.

Arrangements for children

A divorce does not decide arrangements for children. Most parents agree where the children will live and how time is shared, and we will help you reach an arrangement that works for your family. If you cannot agree, you would normally first attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (a MIAM) before applying to the court, unless an exemption applies, such as domestic abuse.

How much does a divorce cost?

There are two parts: our fees and the court fee. We offer a fixed fee for an uncontested divorce, covering the divorce proceedings only. Financial matters and arrangements for children are dealt with separately. Our fixed-fee estimate tool gives you a written estimate in minutes.

The court fee for a divorce is currently £628 (from 13 July 2026). It is paid once and covers the application, the conditional order and the final order. If you are on a low income you may be able to get Help with Fees. Court fees are set by the government and change from time to time, so we will confirm the current figures when you instruct us.

Why choose Nelson Myatt

• Accredited family specialists. We are accredited by the Law Society's Family Law panel, and our family team includes a member of Resolution, whose members commit to a constructive, non-confrontational approach.
• Experience on the big issues. Karen Leadbetter, our Family Law Consultant, has 25 years' experience of relationship breakdown work and handles financial settlements of any value, with particular strength in complex cases involving significant assets, business interests and pensions.
• One named person. You deal directly with the solicitor handling your case, not a call centre.
• Local and easy to reach. Our office is in Llandudno Junction, with free parking at the door. We act for clients in Llandudno, Conwy, Colwyn Bay, Rhos-on-Sea, Abergele and across North Wales.

What our clients say

“I employed the services of Nelson Myatt Solicitors during my divorce and for a litigation matter. On both occasions Andrew was absolutely brilliant!”

“I would highly recommend Karen Leadbetter for anyone needing help for a Family Law matter. She was so helpful and supportive throughout what was a very stressful situation for myself.”

Read more on our client reviews page.

Frequently asked questions

Useful links

• GOV.UK: Get a divorce — the official online application and guidance
• Resolution — family justice professionals committed to a constructive approach
• Cafcass Cymru — how the family court in Wales looks after children's interests
• Live Fear Free — free 24-hour helpline on 0808 80 10 800 (in immediate danger, call 999)

More helpful sites are collected on our useful links page. We are not responsible for the content of other websites. This page gives general information, not legal advice, and is correct as at October 2026.