Although legal aid is not available from solicitors for divorce and most family matters (with some exceptions, eg domestic violence), legal aid is still available for family mediation for those below the limits on income and capital. Legally aided mediation is completely free of charge and those on certain kinds of welfare benefit are ‘passported’ to free mediation. Even if you have to pay for one or more mediation meetings, collecting financial information and testing options in mediation is likely to cost much less than using two lawyers.

NB Enquirers should ask whether the mediator carrying out the initial information meeting (MIAM) is accredited to carry out a legal aid assessment for mediation.