The government is carrying out a review of civil Legal Aid which includes Family Mediators. Family Mediators are covered by the Family Law category. Although 80 per cent of firms provide Legal Aid because it is ‘the right thing to do’, there are some worrying results: Half of firms say Read more…
Just under half of adults are married or in a civil partnership The number of people over 70 who are married rose to 18 per cent Those under 30 who are in a legally-recognised relationship fell to 3 per cent In the last ten years, the number of people in Read more…
One in five recent divorces were delayed due to the pressures on the cost of living. These financial reasons included concern about their income and the cost of the divorce itself. The research also found that: Annual incomes fell by an average of £9,700 in the year following a divorce Read more…
Recent research into the experience of children and young people who go through private family court proceedings has developed some recommendations to improve the process. Researchers recommend that children should: Be sent information about who they will meet and what they will be asked before the meeting Have things explained Read more…
New research has found that the cost of raising a child for a couple is £166,000, and for a lone parent, it’s £220,000. The COVID pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, and benefit cuts have left the average working family (two parents working full-time, having two children, and earning the living wage) Read more…
An investigation into providers of online divorces has begun. It follows complaints about unregulated legal services. Online divorce services have grown in popularity since the COVID-19 lockdown. The Competition and Markets Authority will examine misleading claims about the simplicity of the process and the prices being charged. This leaves customers Read more…
The latest trends in living arrangements have just been published. There are 28 million households in the UK, two-thirds of which are just one family. There are 19 million families, and just under half have no children. A similar number have one or more dependent children. Only 15% of families Read more…
After separation, your child or children will need both parents to be actively involved and interested. If you can’t always be there, think about letters, Skype, phone calls, sending photos, and asking questions. Both parents should be involved in the children’s education regarding school plays and parent evenings. Reassure your Read more…
Mediation could become mandatory in all suitable family court cases. This means separating couples must try to agree on their child custody and financial arrangements through a Family Mediator. This could also reduce the backlogs in the family courts that have built up due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Couples work Read more…
The Family Mediation Voucher Scheme is being extended until April 2025. It provides separating couples with vouchers worth up to £500 towards the cost of family or divorce mediation. This is costing the government another £15 million. So far, the scheme has supported over 15,000 families. Nearly 70 percent of Read more…