Unfair divorce settlements may have occurred due to Ministry of Justice form error

Following the news, an urgent investigation has been launched into the problem, though no specific number of affected cases has yet been released.

It has been announced that couples who settled divorces during the course of the last 20 months are those that have been affected, and renegotiations might have to take place in many of those cases.

The main issue surrounds the fact that couples’ financial details were disclosed on the form as part of divorce proceedings, but it failed to take into account previously stated liabilities, meaning that financial settlements might have been based on inaccurate calculations.

Form E on the MoJ website is where problems were resolved earlier this month, but Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) will be contacting any affected parties in the immediate future.

Not every couple uses the online form as part of proceedings, as a paper submission is also another option.

120,000 divorces are finalised in England and Wales each year, so the expectation is that a significant number of people are likely to be affected.

A spokesman for HMCTS said: “Officials are taking steps to identify rapidly cases where this regrettable error may have had an impact, and we will be writing to anyone affected as soon as possible.

“Anyone concerned about their own court proceedings should contact [email protected].”

At Royds, our experienced family law department are able to advise on all aspects of the divorce process. We will work closely with clients to achieve the best possible outcome. For more information, please visit or contact Patrick Hart.