Looking for help in your family court proceedings?Bridge The Gap is a free, community-built guide to UK family court, written by litigants and McKenzie Friends, for litigants. Real observations, plain English, and people who can help.
Help with Financial Remedy Proceedings
Financial remedy is one of the most complex areas of family law. The right support changes everything.
Financial remedy proceedings deal with the division of assets, income, pensions, and property following separation. They require careful preparation, full and honest financial disclosure, and a realistic understanding of how courts approach these cases. Bridge The Gap provides guidance and connects you with McKenzie Friends who specialise in financial proceedings.
The Gaps
Family court is full of things nobody warns you about.
We call them Gaps — the difference between what people believe about family court and what actually happens. Reading them before your hearing could change everything.
The financial remedy process
Financial remedy proceedings typically involve: Form E financial disclosure from both parties, a First Appointment (directions hearing), a Financial Dispute Resolution (FDR) appointment, and if not settled, a Final Hearing. Most cases settle at or before the FDR.
The FDR hearing — your best chance to settle
An FDR (Financial Dispute Resolution) appointment is a without-prejudice hearing where the judge gives a non-binding indication of the likely outcome to encourage settlement. You should arrive with open proposals, a position statement, and a completed court bundle. The same judge cannot preside over the final hearing — everything said at the FDR remains confidential.
What the court actually considers
Under Section 25 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, the court applies a checklist of factors including income, capital assets, needs, standard of living, length of marriage, contributions, and the welfare of any children. Understanding this framework — rather than assumptions about "50/50" or "what I deserve" — is essential. Our Family Court Reality section addresses these misconceptions directly.
Consent orders and clean break
A consent order formalises your financial agreement and, once approved by a judge, is legally binding — preventing future claims. A clean break order specifically ends all future financial claims between former spouses. Neither is automatic — both require proper legal drafting and court approval.
Did you know?
Most people go into family court believing things that simply aren't true.
The Gaps are short, honest explanations of the most common family court misconceptions — written in plain English, not legal jargon. Each one covers what people believe, why that belief exists, and what the court reality actually is.
How Bridge The Gap Can Help
McKenzie Friends
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Find SupportFamily Court Reality
Plain-English analyses of the most common family court misconceptions — so you know what to actually expect.
Explore the GapsResources & Guides
Access guides to court forms, procedures, and resources to help you prepare and present your case effectively.
View ResourcesFrequently Asked Questions
Your experience matters
Have you been through family court? You know something others don't.
The Gaps are built from real litigant experiences. If you discovered something in your case that nobody warned you about — something that changed how you understood the process — your contribution could help someone else avoid the same shock.
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