A FINANCIAL REMEDY CONSENT ORDER
If you have already agreed how your finances will be divided following divorce or separation, a financial consent order can turn that agreement into a legally binding court order.
At Family Law Consultants, we offer fixed-fee consent order services for clients who have already reached an agreement and need a solicitor to prepare the appropriate documentation and deal with the court process.
Our fixed-fee packages cover clean break consent orders, property consent orders and pension sharing consent orders, with a bespoke package available for more complex arrangements.
What is a consent order?
A consent order is a legal document approved by the court that records an agreement reached between divorcing couples about their financial arrangements.
Getting divorced does not, by itself, deal with the financial relationship between you and your former spouse. Your divorce ends the marriage, but it does not automatically divide your house, savings, investments, pensions, income or other financial interests.
A consent order can record what you have agreed and, where appropriate, provide for a clean break so that neither person can make further financial claims against the other arising from the marriage. Even if you have already divided your finances between yourselves, it is still important to have that agreement formally recorded by the court.
Do I need a consent order if we have already agreed everything?
If you and your former spouse have reached an agreement about your finances, a consent order will provide a formal legal record of that agreement.
An agreement between you that is not court ordered is open to change and cannot be enforced, unlike a court-approved financial order. A consent order will record arrangements that have already been implemented as well as arrangements that are going to take place in the future.
For example, a consent order can record:
- who will retain particular assets;
- what will happen to the family home;
- the transfer or sale of a property;
- a lump sum payment;
- pension sharing arrangements; and
- a clean break between you.
If you have not yet reached agreement, our fixed-fee consent order packages are not designed for your circumstances. You may instead need advice, financial disclosure, negotiation, mediation or representation to help you reach a financial settlement.
Who are our fixed-fee consent order packages for?
Our packages are designed for people who:
- have already reached an agreement with their spouse;
- do not need advice about whether the settlement itself is appropriate;
- do not require negotiations to reach an agreement; and
- want legal assistance with preparing the consent order and obtaining the court's approval.
We have created a two-step process to make the service straightforward and cost- effective.
Step 1 - Consent Order Consultation
Consent Order Preparation Meeting
Before proceeding with a fixed-fee package:
A 30-minute consultation in which we will discuss the agreement you have reached with you and explain the consent order process. The consultation is limited to the court process. We will not advise you on whether the financial settlement you have already agreed is appropriate.
Telephone or Teams appointment: £250 including VAT
Face-to-face appointment: £450 including VAT
Following the consultation, your solicitor will:
Prepare a letter to your spouse setting out the agreement you have reached. Your spouse will be asked to consider the agreement and formally confirm their acceptance.
If your spouse accepts the agreement in full, you can proceed to Step 2 and select the appropriate fixed-fee package.
If your spouse does not respond or does not fully accept the agreement, the fixed-fee packages will not be appropriate. Your solicitor will request costs on account of our hourly rate charges and advise you on the next steps.
OR
Consent Order Review
Up to 30 minutes of reading time. Your consultant will read the draft order and covering letter (you will be asked to provide this ahead of your appointment by email) and consider it to enable you to make the most of the appointment to follow.
A 30-minute consultation to discuss a draft consent order that you have received. We will provide you with advice on the consent order process limited to the court process only (no advice will be given upon the appropriateness of the actual settlement that you have reached prior to instructing us).
We will consider the draft order with you, to make sure with you that the draft order accurately reflects the agreement you have reached and that you understand how the order works.
Telephone or Teams appointment: £250 including VAT
Face to Face Appointment £450.00 inc. VAT
Should you require any work or representation in relation to having any amendments made/proposed to the existing order or help with completing the accompanying financial statement, this will be dealt with under our hourly rate charging until your order is approved.
Step 2 – Choose Your Consent Order Package
Our fixed-fee consent order packages are arranged according to the complexity of your financial arrangements. Your solicitor after your consultation will recommend the most suitable option for you.
1. Basic Clean Break Consent Order Package
Legal Fees: £550.00
VAT: £110.00
Court Fee: £62.00
Total: £722.00
This package is suitable where there are no assets to divide and nothing to record that has already been divided, and you have already reached agreement about your finances.
A clean break consent order can provide that each person retains their own assets and, where appropriate, prevents either person from making further financial claims against the other arising from the marriage.
The package includes:
- Legal advice limited to the court process.
- Up to one hour's attendance, if required, by telephone or Teams.
- Necessary and proportionate telephone calls, emails and letters to you, your spouse or their solicitor and the court.
- Drafting the consent order.
- Assistance completing the Statement of Information (D81 form).
- Drafting the Form A application.
- Dealing with court enquiries.
- The court fee for filing the consent order.
This package is only suitable if you have already agreed your financial settlement, do not require advice about the suitability of that settlement and simply require legal assistance to prepare the consent order and obtain court approval.
The fixed fee is subject to our Fair Usage Policy and includes up to two hours' work.
ID and AML checks are compulsory and charged separately.
2. Property Consent Order Package
Legal Fees: 825.00
VAT: £165.00
Court Fee: £62.00
Total: £1,052.00
This package is suitable where your agreed financial settlement includes the matrimonial home or another property, or where you have already divided your finances and want the arrangements formally recorded by the court.
A consent order can record assets that have already been divided as well as providing for assets to be divided in the future.
For example, if you sold the matrimonial home some time ago and are now divorcing, a consent order can record who received what and can also create a clean break.
The order may also provide for a property to be sold or transferred, together with arrangements for a related lump sum payment.
The package includes:
- Everything included in the Basic Clean Break Consent Order Package.
- A full record of assets previously divided.
- One property adjustment order and related mortgage.
- Serving the mortgagee where required by the Family Proceedings Rules.
This package is suitable where you and your spouse have fully agreed your financial settlement and you do not require legal advice or representation to reach that agreement.
The fixed fee is subject to our Fair Usage Policy and includes up to three hours' work.
ID and AML checks are compulsory and charged separately.
3. Pension Sharing Consent Order Package
Legal Fees: 1,375.00
VAT: £275.00
Court Fee: £62.00
Total: £1,712.00
This package is based on the Property Consent Order Package but also includes one pension sharing order and annex.
The package includes:
- Everything included in the Property Consent Order Package.
- One pension sharing order and annex.
- Serving the pension provider or mortgagee in accordance with the Family Proceedings Rules.
This package is suitable where you have already agreed your financial settlement and that settlement includes a pension sharing arrangement.
The fixed fee is subject to our Fair Usage Policy and includes up to 4.5 hours' work.
ID and AML checks are compulsory and charged separately.
4. Bespoke Consent Order Package
Some financial settlements are more complicated and cannot be dealt with under our standard fixed-fee packages.
If your agreement involves:
- more than one property;
- business interests;
- spousal or periodical payments;
- private school fees; or
- multiple pension sharing orders,
How much does a consent order cost?
The cost of a consent order depends on the complexity of the financial arrangements you have agreed.
Our current fixed-fee packages are:
| Consent order service | Total cost |
| Basic Clean Break Consent Order | £722 |
| Property Consent Order | £1,052 |
| Pension Sharing Consent Order | £1,712 |
| Bespoke Consent Order | Fee provided after consultation |
The totals above include VAT and the £62 court fee where applicable. ID and AML checks are charged separately (£10.80. inc VAT as of 22.09.26 subject to change).
The fixed-fee packages are intended for cases where the financial settlement has already been agreed.
What is not included in the fixed-fee consent order packages?
Our fixed fees do not include:
Advice about the settlement
The packages do not include advice about whether the settlement you have agreed is appropriate.
If you need advice about what financial settlement you should seek, or assistance reaching an agreement, additional work will be charged at our hourly rate.
Financial disclosure
The packages do not include the process of financial disclosure, which involves exchanging documentary evidence relating to matters such as income, assets and pensions.
Negotiations
Our packages assume that you have already reached a suitable financial agreement with your spouse.
Negotiations to reach a settlement are not included.
Court attendance
Court attendance of any kind is not included.
Changes to the agreement
Work required because your original agreement changes is not included in the fixed fee.
Work following rejection of the order
If the court rejects the order because it requires further information or reasoning about why the agreement should be approved, this further work will fall outside the fixed fee.
Where the court raises an issue relating only to the technical drafting of the order, this will be dealt with within the package where applicable.
What happens if we have not agreed our finances?
Our fixed-fee consent order packages are not designed for you if you are still negotiating your financial settlement.
Once an agreement has been reached, you may then be able to use one of our fixed-fee consent order packages.
Consent Order FAQs
Is a consent order the same as a clean break order?
Not necessarily.
A consent order records an agreed financial settlement and can deal with matters such as property, pensions and other financial arrangements.
A clean break is a provision within a financial order that can prevent future financial claims between the former spouses.
A consent order can therefore include a clean break.
Can a consent order include the family home?
Yes. A consent order can record an agreement concerning the matrimonial home, including arrangements for a property to be sold or transferred and, where appropriate, a related lump sum payment.
Our Property Consent Order Package is designed for agreed settlements involving a property.
Can a consent order include pensions?
Yes. Where your agreed settlement includes pension sharing, a pension sharing order and annex can be incorporated into the arrangements.
Our Pension Sharing Consent Order Package includes one pension sharing order and annex.
What is a D81 form?
The D81 is the Statement of Information form used in connection with a financial consent order. It provides information to the court about the parties and their financial circumstances and helps the court consider the proposed order.
Our fixed-fee packages include assistance with completing the D81 form.
What is a Form A?
Form A is used to start the court process for financial remedy proceedings. Where appropriate, our fixed-fee packages include drafting the Form A application.
Can a consent order record finances that we have already divided?
Yes. A consent order can record assets that have already been divided as well as providing for assets to be divided in the future.
For example, if you have already sold the matrimonial home and divided the proceeds, a consent order can record the arrangement and may also provide for a clean break.
Do I need a solicitor for a consent order?
You can potentially prepare financial order documents without a solicitor, but a consent order is a legal document that requires court approval and must be drafted in a specific way.
Our service is designed for people who have already reached an agreement and want professional legal assistance preparing the documentation and dealing with the court process.
How much does a consent order cost?
Our current fixed-fee consent order packages range from £722 to £1,712 including VAT and the £62 court fee, depending on the type of order required. ID and AML checks are charged separately.
More complex arrangements can be dealt with under a bespoke package.
What if my spouse changes their mind?
Our fixed-fee packages assume that you and your spouse have reached and continue to agree the proposed settlement.
If your spouse does not confirm their acceptance of the agreement, or the agreement breaks down, the fixed-fee package may no longer be appropriate. Additional work may then be required and charged at our hourly rate.
Why choose Family Law Consultants?
Consent orders are only one part of the wider financial arrangements that can arise when a marriage ends.
Our fixed-fee service is designed to make the process clearer for people who have already reached an agreement and simply need professional assistance turning that agreement into a formal court order.
We explain the process, identify the appropriate package and deal with the preparation and court process on your behalf.
Ready to formalise your financial agreement?
If you and your spouse have already agreed your financial settlement, our Consent Order Consultation is the first step.
We can discuss your agreement, explain the court process and identify which fixed- fee package is appropriate for your circumstances.
