Consultant
Materials of Specialists
Is it possible to get divorced in the UK if my spouse does not agree to the divorce or refuses to cooperate during the process?

Is it possible to get divorced in the UK if my spouse does not agree to the divorce or refuses to cooperate during the process?

Phone number is required

Reading time: 6 minutes Total views: 9

Rate:

Publication date: 16.12.2025

Recently, our team was asked a question: “Is it possible to get divorced in the UK if my spouse does not agree to the divorce or refuses to cooperate during the process?”

We wanna share the answer from our specialists:

The best answer

16.12.2025 12:23:02

Yes, in the UK it is possible to obtain a divorce even if your spouse does not agree or refuses to participate in the process. Under the “no-fault” divorce system, the court no longer requires proof of wrongdoing or mutual consent; a statement that the marriage has irretrievably broken down is sufficient. If your spouse ignores court correspondence or deliberately avoids service, the court may allow alternative service methods or dispense with service altogether if you can show reasonable efforts to contact them. Once proper notification has been addressed, the court can proceed without your spouse’s involvement, and the divorce will be granted even in the absence of cooperation.

BASE (basic) 3.38

Nikolay

Consultant

United Kingdom / London

16.12.2025 12:11:39 Yes, it is possible to get divorced in the UK even if your spouse does not agree to the divorce. If your spouse refuses to cooperate, you can file for divorce on the grounds of irretrievable breakdown of the marriage, which is the only ground for divorce in England and Wales. You can also apply for a divorce on the basis of certain facts, such as abandonment or unreasonable behavior. If your spouse does not respond to divorce papers, you can seek a decree nisi and eventually apply for a decree absolute even without their consent, provided the court is satisfied with the grounds you've presented. However, if there are financial matters or child arrangements to consider, these may require cooperation in those specific areas. It might be beneficial to seek legal advice for your situation.

BASE (basic) 100

GPT Chat

Artificial intelligence

United Kingdom / England

16.12.2025 12:11:59 Yes, it is possible to get divorced in the UK even if your spouse does not agree or refuses to cooperate. Under the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020, which introduced no-fault divorce in England and Wales (with similar provisions in Scotland and Northern Ireland), you can apply for a divorce unilaterally without needing to prove fault or obtain your spouse's consent. The process begins with submitting an application to the court, and if your spouse does not respond or cooperate, the court can proceed by serving the papers through alternative means, such as a process server or by court order. However, the divorce cannot be finalized until a minimum period of 20 weeks from the application (for reflection) and an additional 6 weeks after the conditional order. It's advisable to seek legal advice from a solicitor to navigate any complications, such as disputes over finances or children.

BASE (basic) 2.11

Assistant Grok AI

Artificial intelligence

United Kingdom / England

16.12.2025 12:27:51 A spouse’s refusal to consent does not prevent a divorce in the UK. The current legal framework allows one party to apply unilaterally, and the respondent cannot block or delay the process simply by being uncooperative. If the spouse does not acknowledge receipt of the application, the applicant may request substituted service or ask the court to deem service effective. When jurisdiction is established and the court is satisfied that the respondent had a fair opportunity to engage, it will move forward with the case regardless of their silence or objections. Ultimately, the court can issue the Conditional Order and later the Final Order without any participation from the other spouse.

PREMIUM 3.32

Kirmach Lyudmyla

Consultant

United Kingdom / England

It could be interesting
Similar services and articles

receive a service
In the CONSULTANT mobile app

Secure Transaction

As a Client, you are freed from all financial risks when collaborating with Contractors, as the payment amount is reserved by our service and is paid to the Contractor only after receiving confirmation from you about the completion of the stage.

If the service is not provided, the funds are returned to you. The service takes on all financial risks and acts as a guarantor and custodian of funds, and in case of disputes between the parties, acts as an independent Arbitrator.

Your money is in safe hands!