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..
Assumption: "He started the divorce, so he should have to pay for both of us to attend the MIAM."
1 min readThis content reflects observational insights and lived community experiences. It does not constitute legal advice — always consult a qualified professional for your specific circumstances.
What People Expect
Whoever applied for the divorce pays for the first mediation meeting.
Court Reality
The family court rules do not let one person require the other to pay their MIAM fee. Each person normally pays for their own meeting, unless legal aid applies, in which case the MIAM is free. Who applied for the divorce makes no difference. One person can choose to pay for both, but the other cannot make them. The £500 government mediation voucher cannot be used towards a MIAM. It only helps with the mediation sessions that come after, where the case is eligible.
Download the card and post it on Facebook, LinkedIn, or wherever you're active. Every share helps another litigant find this before their hearing.
Bridge The Gap
Who started the divorce does not decide who pays for the MIAM.
He started the divorce, so he should have to pay for both of us to attend the MIAM.
Reality
The family court rules do not let one person require the other to pay their MIAM fee. Each person normally pays for their own meeting, unless legal aid applies, in which case the MIAM is free.
familycourtbridge.org • #bridgethegap
Navigating court alone?
A McKenzie Friend can help you make sense of this in the context of your own case.
Find your supportWe use essential cookies to stay signed in and remember this choice. With your permission we also use Google Analytics to see which pages help people most. Privacy Policy