Divorce For Dummies (UK Edition)

>

Divorce Decisions in a Nutshell

You face many tough decisions when negotiating a divorce agreement. In most cases, the basic questions you need to ask yourself boil down to the following:

• Where will you both, and your children, all live afterwards?

  
  



• Who will the children live with or will you share their day-to-day care?

  
  



• If you agree on the children living primarily with one of you, how will they keep in contact with their other parent?

  
  



• Will you use a parenting plan? If so, what will it include?

  
  



• Which one of you will pay child support?

  
  



• How much will the child support be?

  
  



• Will the child support include items such as spending money, any private healthcare for your children, school tuition, and other child support ‘extras’, such as coaching or music lessons?

  
  



• How long will the child support last?

  
  



• Will maintenance (spousal support) be paid? If so, to whom and how much?

  
  



• How long will the maintenance payments last?

  
  



• What are your assets?

  
  



• What are your debts?

  
  



• How will you divide your assets (for instance, your home, cars, pensions) and how will you share out the paying off of your debts?

  
  

>

>

>

Important UK Organisations and Helpful Resources for Divorce-Related Issues

The following list of resources may be of some help as you’re going through your divorce. Keep this information in a handy place (maybe under a refrigerator magnet or inside the phone book):

Legal and mediation resources

Look to these resources for legal or mediation help if you're divorcing your spouse:

• Resolution (family solicitors and mediators), 01689 820272

  
  



• Law Society, 020 7242 1222; find a solicitor 0870 606 2555

  
  



• Law Society of Scotland, 0131 226 7411

  
  



• Law Society of Northern Ireland, 028 9023 1614

  
  



• Family Mediation Helpline, 0845 602 6627

  
  



• Family Mediation Council

  
  



• National Family Mediation, 01392 271610

  
  



• Family Mediators Association, 0808 200 0033

  
  



• Relationships Scotland, was Family Mediation Scotland, a mediation provider, 0845 119 2020

  
  



• Family Mediation NI, 028 9024 3265

  
  

Financial resources

You may find assistance with financial matters during your divorce with these resources:

• Legal Services Commission, 0945 345 4345

  
  



• Scottish Legal Aid Board, 0131 226 7061

  
  



• National Debt Helpline, 0808 808 4000

  
  



• Consumer Credit Counselling Service, 0800 138 1111

  
  



• Payplan, 0800 389 3431

  
  



• Money Advice Scotland, 0141 572 0237

  
  



• National Association of Citizen's Advice Bureaux (including NI), or nearest CAB office

  
  



• Citizens Advice Bureaux Scotland, 0131 550 1000

  
  



• Government services

  
  

Counselling and support resources

Divorce-related counseling and support services are available through the following:

• Relate, www.relate.org.uk, 0300 100 1234

  
  



• Relate Northern Ireland, 028 9032 3454

  
  



• Relationships Scotland

  
  



• Catholic Marriage Care, 020 737 1134

  
  



• ACCORD (Northern Ireland Catholic Marriage Care), 028 9023 3002

  
  



• Scottish Marriage Care, 0141 222 2166

  
  



• Jewish Marriage Council, 0208 203 6311

  
  



• Muslim Council of Britain – click Service Providers

  
  



• British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy

  
  



• National Council for the Divorced and Separated, 07041 478 120

  
  

Resources if you have children

If you're a parent going through a divorce, you can seek out assistance through these resources:

• The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (CMEC)

  
  



• The Child Support Agency, 08457 133 133

  
  



• Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service), 020 7510 7000

  
  



• One Parent Families/Gingerbread, 0800 018 5026

  
  



• One Parent Family Scotland, 0808 810 0323

  
  



• Grandparents Association, 0845 434 9585

  
  



• Parentline Plus (also Scotland), 0808 800 2222

  
  



• Parenting Across Scotland

  
  



• Reunite, 0116 2555 345

  
  



• Childline, 0800 1111

  
  



• Children First (Scotland)

  
  



• ‘It's not your Fault’ website for children

  
  

Contact Centres and resources for non-resident parents

Parental resources for non-resident mothers or fathers are available in the following:

• National Association of Child Contact Centres, 0845 4500 280

  
  



• Contact Centres in Scotland, Family Mediation Scotland, 0845 119 2020

  
  



• Families Need Fathers, 020 7613 5060, 08707 607 496

  
  



• Match (Mothers Apart from Their Children)

  
  

Resources if abuse is a risk

In situations of domestic abuse, these resources can provide information and support:

• National Domestic Violence Helpline (shared by Women's Aid and Refuge) 0808 2000 247

  
  



• Aanchal for Muslim women, 0845 451 2547

  
  



• Scottish Women’s Aid, Domestic Abuse 0800 027 1234

  
  



• Women’s Aid Federation Northern Ireland, 0800 917 1414

  
  



• Men’s Advice Line, 0845 064 680

  
  

>

>
dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/divorce-for-dummies-cheat-sheet-uk-edition.html