Military Divorce Solicitors | Military Divorce Lawyer | Howells
Make a payment

Military Divorce Solicitors

Military Divorce Solicitors based in Sheffield, Barnsley, Rotherham delivering advice in London and Nationwide

A military divorce involves the same legal issues as any other divorce; however, a military divorce can be complex. Due to armed force pensions, child arrangements and accommodations issues, military divorces can come with more challenges than a regular divorce.

 

If you are a military spouse or are a member of the UK armed forces and you decide to divorce, you will need expert legal advice from a specialist military divorce solicitor. Instructing a divorce solicitor who specialises in military divorce, complex pensions, financial settlements, and child arrangements is essential to ensure that you receive what you are entitled to.

 

Our team of divorce solicitors are part of one of the largest family law teams in the north of England. The Legal 500 accredits the team as one of the top family law firms in the country.

 

The team are also accredited by Resolution and the Law Society and have many positive client reviews, earning them a rating of 4.9 out of 5 on Review Solicitors.

 

Our divorce solicitors offer a free initial 30-minute consultation to new clients by telephone, video call or face to face and offer extremely competitive prices on fixed fee divorces from £275 + VAT, making us one of the most price affordable law firms offering family law services in the south, without compromising on quality.

What is a Military Divorce?

If you or your spouse serves in the armed forces, such as the British Army, Royal Airforce and the Royal Navy, long separations, financial difficulties, and stress can add pressures to your relationship. This can eventually result in one or both of you deciding to separate and file for a military divorce.

If you decide to separate, you will need expert legal advice to help negotiate the challenges and complexities of a military divorce.

Getting a Divorce in the Military

There are several factors that can complicate a military divorce; however, the main challenges are:

  • Military Pensions – These are typically more complicated than other types of pensions and can be difficult to deal with in a divorce financial settlement. This will require expert legal military divorce advice.
  • Housing Arrangements – If you are living in military accommodation, it can be difficult to decide where both spouses will live, especially if you will no longer have rights to live in military accommodation.
  • Children Arrangements – If you or your spouse are posted abroad, or in locations across the UK, this can make it difficult to deal with child arrangements.
  • Private School Costs.

The process of a military divorce is the same as a regular divorce and it will follow a no-fault divorce process. However, any financial matters including the above, will be dealt with separately, making   a military divorce more complicated.

Contact us or call us on 0114 2235 807 to book your free consultation today and discuss your military divorce.

 

Fixed Fee Military Divorce

fixed fee divorce is just like any other divorce process, however you know the cost upfront. Dealing with a military divorce can be distressing and drawn out, and money worries can only add to the stress. Having a clear idea of the cost of the divorce upfront can help remove some of the financial worries.

This is why our military divorce solicitors offer an affordable fixed fee divorce package to give you peace of mind over costs. In some military divorce cases a combination of a fixed fee divorce can be used alongside fixed hourly divorcesolicitor rates.

Our divorce solicitors provide quality divorce advice at a lower cost than most family law firms. This is especially true compared to firms in the south of England.

How Our Military Divorce Solicitors Can Help You

A military divorce solicitor does more than just handle paperwork during the divorce process. We are with you throughout the entire process, providing invaluable military divorce advice and professional and emotional support.

We can help by offering advice regarding your divorce application, deal with all the paperwork involved and help negotiate and deal with your financial settlements, including a military pension, and children arrangements. We can also represent you at family court.

We know that reaching out to a military divorce lawyer can be stressful. However, our team is friendly and easy to talk to. You can find a number of client reviews on our Review Solicitors profile. Remember, we are on your side and can help you rebuild for the future.

We have one of the largest family law teams in Yorkshire, who provide expert, impartial family law advice to help resolve challenges with a military divorce, such as:

  • Divorce financial orders.
  • Complex armed force pensions.
  • Financial matters.
  • Divorce financial settlements.
  • Court orders.
  • Paperwork involved with the divorce process.
  • Child arrangements and child maintenance.
  • Representation at family court.
  • Separation agreements.
  • Asset protection with a prenup or postnuptial agreement.

You can access our wealth of helpful guides to support you with your family law queries.

 

Legal Rights as a Military Spouse

Military spouses have the same rights, and are treated in the same way, as any other spouse on divorce. However, due to the demands of the military lifestyle, non-military spouses may encounter employment challenges and may not have had the opportunity to develop their own career experience or pension benefits. This could be a result of regularly supporting their spouse and relocating frequently. The court will consider this factor in its overall assessment.

 

Dealing With an Armed Forces Pension

Often, the value of an Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) is the largest matrimonial asset in a military divorce.

The amount of your Armed Forces pension will depend on several factors, including your length of service, rank, and pension scheme. Many military pension schemes have complex features to them.

Armed force pensions require careful consideration to protect the benefits so that they can be shared in a fair way upon divorce.

 

How Can I Protect My Armed Forces Pension in a Divorce?

There are a number of options when dealing with an armed forces pension, including:

Offsetting: Where the value of the pension is offset against the value of other assets.

Pension Attachments: Providing a lump sum or income stream for a spouse.

Pension Sharing: Where a spouse receives a pension credit and becomes a member of the pension scheme.

It’s important to discuss your pension options with a specialist military divorce solicitor to ensure the best option is chosen for your situation. Contact us or call us on 0114 2235 807 to book your free consultation today and discuss your options.

 

 

Who Gets Custody of Children in a Military Divorce?

A military divorce will legally end the marriage, however you will still need to deal with any child custody arrangements. Many families manage this amicably however others need assistance from solicitors.

Our military divorce solicitors can help decide where the children will live. They can also assist with who the children can visit and when. We can help with school arrangements and plans if one parent moves away.

Learn more on our child custody page.

 

Child Maintenance

Under UK law, both parents are responsible for the living costs of their children. Child maintenance is an agreement between parents to provide financial support for their children after divorce.

Our military divorce solicitors can help you determine how much you or your ex-partner should pay for child support. They can also provide guidance on creating or modifying agreements, as well as offer advice if payments have ceased.

Learn more on our child maintenance page.

 

Specialist Military Divorce Lawyers

Our Military Divorce Solicitors represent clients in:

The divorce team offer a free 30-minute consultation on your first visit, which can be made face-to-face, on the phone or virtually.

Contact us or call us on 0114 2235 807 to book your free consultation today.

 

Free Legal Consultation

Our military divorce  team offer a free legal consultation to new clients. You can book an appointment by telephone, video call or in person You can book a consultation to have by telephone, video call or in person, at a time that suits your needs.

Contact us or call us on 0114 2235 807 to book your free consultation today.

 

Starting a Military Divorce

If you’re starting divorce proceedings against your spouse, this means you’re the applicant. You will be responsible for completing and submitting the divorce application, which we can do on your behalf. Our fees for divorce proceedings start at £399 + VAT, plus Court fees and disbursements.

These do not include costs to resolve any matters to do with finances, assets, or children.

 

How Much Will It Cost to Get a Military Divorce?

Our military divorce solicitors offer transparent and affordable prices to suit all financial circumstances. They will always keep you up to date with costs and offer fixed fees for most areas, so you remain in full control. We design our affordable and fixed fee services to give you peace of mind over costs during what can be a stressful time.

Find a full list of our divorce fees here.

Contact us or call us on 0114 2235 807 to book your free appointment today.

Military Divorce Solicitors Frequently Asked Questions

 

How long does a military divorce take?

Usually, a military divorce takes around six to nine months depending on how complex the divorce is, and how complex the division of the armed forces pension is. If you or your partner live overseas this could make the process longer.

 

Can I get a DIY military divorce?

Divorcing couples can go through a DIY divorce, dealing with the divorce process themselves. A DIY divorce has risks. This is especially true for unresolved financial issues or disagreements about children and assets. Learn more in our DIY divorce article.

Free Legal Consultation Family Law

Our family law team offer a free legal consultation to new clients. You can book an appointment by telephone, video call or in person You can book a consultation to have by telephone, video call or in person, at a time that suits your needs.

Book Now

How can we help? Contact us today

Contact us on 0114 2235 807 and one of our advisors will be in touch to discuss your situation. We will take some initial information and if we can help, we will book you in for a consultation with a legal professional.

Contact Us

Request a Call back

The Howells Solicitors law team are compassionate, down-to-earth and professional, offering you the best expert advice. Get in touch with solicitors in Sheffield, Rotherham, and Barnsley to see how we can help. Fill in the form or give us a call at:

Solicitors for Military Divorce

The Howells Solicitors divorce team are one of the largest in South Yorkshire England. They specialise in many family law services.

These include divorce, financial settlements, and child custody arrangements. They also handle collaborative law, care proceedings, and adoption. Other areas include guardianship, child abduction, and domestic abuse.

Our divorce solicitors have a great reputation for handling many types of cases. They work with high-net-worth finances and complex child cases. The team also have extensive experience of representing clients at court, including parents, grandparents, guardians, and children.

Our family lawyers cover the entirety of South Yorkshire, with offices in Sheffield, Barnsley, and Rotherham. They also often receive instructions from clients all over the UK. This includes regular clients in London and nearby areas.

The caring Alyson Siddal leads the team. She knows she is working with people, not just ‘cases.’ Alyson has been an important part of Howells Solicitors for over 30 years. She brings a lot of knowledge and experience in divorce and family law.

The team also includes Sharon Lockwood, a senior divorce solicitor and director. She is well-respected in Rotherham and South Yorkshire. Sharon is a specialist in complex cases involving children and high value assets.

Sharon is very active in the South Yorkshire community. She receives a lot of praise from her clients and colleagues. She has become one of the top divorce specialists in the area.

The team includes family law solicitor and director John Clegg. He is a specialist in family law. He handles all areas of family law.

This includes divorce, civil partnership, and cohabitation breakdown. He also deals with financial matters that arise during separation and divorce. Additionally, he works on pre and post-nuptial agreements. He helps protect clients from domestic abuse.

Client Feedback

The divorce team rank number 2 in Sheffield, and number 1 in Rotherham and Barnsley on Review Solicitors with an average ranking of 4.9 out of 5 stars in reviews received and 99% of former clients confirm they would recommend the firm, which is a testament to the quality of advice they provide and their exceptional client care. The team are often praised for their professionalism, compassion, empathy, and kindness.

“Thank you so much for all you have done. I cannot speak highly enough of you & everyone I have met at Howells. I have already recommended Howells & yourself to the specialist teams I am now in contact with & will continue to do so.”

“Many thanks again for your invaluable help, advice and your calm, approachable manner. It is very much appreciated!”

“Howells provided a great service and worked quickly and efficiently to get the job completed to try to keep my costs down too. I would recommend Sharon and the team.”

“Excellent service with prompt response time.”

“I used Sharon Lockwood in my extremely messy and prolonged divorce case, and I cannot thank her enough. She was kind and caring at times when I was very distressed and at the same time both efficient and professional.”

“Sharon was exceptional from our first telephone call and throughout this process. Professional, supportive, knowledgeable, and very clear.”

“Sharon has been a rock she explains everything every step of the way she has gotten me through a very tough year, and I will be for ever grateful to her.”

“I chose to sort my divorce and financial settlement with Sharon Lockwood at Howells solicitors after seeing other reviews. I was not disappointed in any way, shape, or form. She is very professional and quick off the ball. I would highly recommend Sharon and her colleagues at Howells for a fast and very efficient service and would use again if needed.”

Legal 500 Ranking

2018 – Tier 3 – “The Howells family team works across Sheffield, Rotherham and Barnsley, with Alyson Siddall focusing on high-value financial work, and co-leading the team alongside Sharon Lockwood, whose expertise lies in matters involving tax elements and inherited assets, and John Clegg, who brings extensive experience regarding complex cases involving children. The team undertakes a wide range of family work, with notable expertise in working on complex domestic abuse and care cases.”

2021 – Tier 2 – “Howells fields a substantial family team, which also features eight Children Panel members and five Resolution accredited panel members. Practice head Alyson Siddall is a key name for high-value financial work, advising clients in high-net-worth cases involving significant assets and pensions. John Clegg is particularly well known and respected for children and finance work. He is one of a handful of solicitors in the city who still does finance legal aid work.”

2022 – Tier 1 Ranking – “The team are particularly well known for high-net-worth cases. In addition, the practice has a strong regional reputation.”

2023 – Tier 2 Ranking – “The team undertakes a wide range of family work, with notable expertise in working on complex domestic abuse and care cases.”

2024- Tier 2 Ranking

Professional Feedback

“A go to for complex children matters. Is thorough and deals with cases with a level of detail and knowledge that are truly impressive. Has the detail of every aspect of the case at her fingertips. She is also sensitive and compassionate in her approach to clients, but quite capable of delivering difficult and realistic advice.”

“Sharon Lockwood is dedicated to seeking very practical solutions to financial cases. Tenacious but also very realistic at the same time”

“Alyson Siddall is a pleasure to deal with and is very knowledgeable and competent. She also has a very calm manner, which I am sure is appreciated by clients and other professionals alike.”

“An effective and tenacious advocate known for his thorough, sensible and constructive approach. Has a wealth of knowledge and experience in all areas of financial and children cases and the safest pair of hands no matter how difficult the case.”

“Excellent Collaborative lawyer and a leading family solicitor in Sheffield. Experienced, dedicated and knowledgeable.”

“Thorough in preparation, experienced, excellent with clients, willing to go above and beyond and a strong presence in the courtroom.”

Alyson Siddall

Family Law

0114 249 6659
John Clegg

Family Law

0114 249 6795
Sharon Lockwood

Family Law

01709 364000
Wendy Bailey

Family Law

01226 805 190
Colin Musgrave

Family Law

0114 249 6709
Louise Ellis

Family Law

01709 364 000
Caroline Euinton

Family Law

0114 249 6643
Danielle Mahyar

Family Law

01226 805 190
Laura Hill

Family Law

0114 249 6638
Ramandeep Kaur

Family Law

0114 249 6703
Cody Minshall

Family Law

0114 249 6656
Michaela Logue

Family Law

0114 2496666
Bronwen Knowles

0114 249 6614