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Do I need a MIAM? Answer a few questions and find out in about a minute Legal aid checker Check whether your mediation could be free, in two minutes Cost estimator A realistic estimate of what your mediation will cost Spousal maintenance calculator How much might be paid, and for how long Text tone checker Paste a message and see how it is likely to land The Divorce Circle support group A free Facebook community for people going through separation

How it works

How family mediation works

We help over 90% of clients reach an agreement through our tried and tested progressive mediation method. It focuses both of you on reaching an agreement, reduces the number of sessions you need and takes the friction out of the process. Every session can be held online.

Your MIAM

You meet a mediator on your own, usually online, to talk through your situation and check mediation is safe and suitable.

We invite the other person

Where appropriate we can invite them within five minutes of your MIAM finishing. They attend their own MIAM separately.

Joint sessions

You meet together with your mediator, usually online. Sessions last around 90 minutes and most couples need two to four.

Your written outcome

Your mediator writes up a memorandum of understanding or parenting plan setting out what you have agreed and why.

Make it legally binding

Our family law solicitors can turn your agreement into a consent order or court order for a fixed fee, if you want it enforceable.

Book a MIAM Book a Free 15-Minute Call

Mediate UK · Over 15 years of trust

Why choose Mediate UK's family mediation service?

90% Outcomes, 2025

Nine in ten of our clients reach an agreement

Of the clients who attended joint mediation with us in 2025, 90% reached a full or partial agreement, without a court battle. We publish the figures behind that number rather than asking you to take it on trust.

See how we measure it

Funding

Legal aid and the £500 voucher

Free mediation if you qualify for legal aid, and up to £500 towards joint sessions in parenting cases.

Check your eligibility

Cost

You keep more of your money

Contested proceedings can cost £30,000 plus VAT or more each. Mediation is charged per person, per hour, so you only pay for the time you use.

Compare the cost of court

Fees

Fixed fees, no income proof

£120 plus VAT per person per hour online, with no surcharge for evening appointments.

See our fees

Standards

Regulated, insured, award-winning

Every mediator is a member of the Family Mediation Council. UK Business Awards 2021 and 2022, BizX Awards 2022 and 2025.

Meet our mediators

100% Your guarantee

Not happy with your mediator? Your next MIAM is on us

If you are not happy with your family mediator after your MIAM, we will offer you a free MIAM with a different mediator. No quibble, no fuss. Book with confidence.

Book a MIAM

Wherever you are

Online mediation, in person or shuttle, across England and Wales

95% of our sessions happen online, so you can mediate from home without travel or waiting rooms. Where being in the same space would be too difficult, shuttle mediation keeps you in separate rooms or calls while your mediator moves between you. And if you would rather meet face to face, we have more than 30 offices.

Online mediation

By video, from anywhere. Usually available the same week.

In person

30+ offices in 18 counties, from Leeds to Portsmouth.

Shuttle mediation

Separate rooms or calls, with your mediator carrying the conversation between you.

Find your nearest office

View all locations

Berkshire (head office)

Bracknell

Buckinghamshire

Marlow

Cambridgeshire

Cambridge

Essex

Brentwood East Tilbury

Gloucestershire

Gloucester Cheltenham

Greater Manchester

Manchester Bolton

Hampshire

Portsmouth Aldershot

Hertfordshire

St Albans

Kent

Bromley Ashford

Leicestershire

Leicester

London

Sutton

Merseyside

Liverpool

Northamptonshire

Northampton

Nottinghamshire

Nottingham (City Centre) Nottingham (Kimberley)

Oxfordshire

Henley on Thames

Surrey

Leatherhead Epsom Guildford Woking

West Midlands

Birmingham

West Yorkshire

Leeds

Where we are

Hover a pin for the office name

Offices per region None → 11

Mediation office Head office, Bracknell

Online mediation is available anywhere in England and Wales, whether or not there is an office near you.

Costs

What does family mediation cost?

Mediate UK charges per person, per hour, so a couple splits the cost of every session. There are three ways to pay.

Option 1 · Legal aid

Free

with legal aid

If you qualify, your MIAM and your mediation sessions are completely free. The other person’s MIAM and first joint session are covered as well.

Check eligibility

Option 2 · Pay as you go

Most common

£120 +VAT

per person, per hour, online

Your MIAM is £115 plus VAT. Joint sessions last around 90 minutes and most couples need two to four. The average financial case costs £655 plus VAT per person.

See all our fees

Option 3 · Fixed fee legal packages

From £499 +VAT

per person, to a legally binding order

Mediation and solicitor drafting in one package: Child Arrangements Order from £499, Separation Agreement £1,099, Consent Order from £1,649, all plus VAT. Everything is included at a set cost.

Compare the packages

Are you eligible for legal aid? Book your MIAM

Already agreed? Our Facilitation service sense-checks your agreement and makes it legally binding in one 90-minute session. See also Consent Orders and Separation Agreements.

Free tools

Not sure where to start? Work it out for yourself, free

No sign-up, no obligation. Thousands of people use these every month.

What clients say

What clients say about working with us

Rated 4.8 out of 5 from 715+ reviews across Google, Facebook, Trustpilot and Reviews.io.

"I found Mediate UK to be incredibly helpful and more importantly calm and friendly at a time when I am fraught with anxiety. They made everything clear about the steps that I needed to take so I feel more in control."

Anonymous, Reviews.io Family mediation

"A very informative and friendly conversation with Mediate UK, which left me feeling much more confident about the next steps I needed to take with regards to the financial settlement of my divorce. There was no pressure to take up their services, and the advice was tailor made to suit my circumstances."

Mac A, Facebook Financial mediation

"I requested a call back and was promptly called at the time of my choosing to explore using Mediate UK to help smooth out my divorce. Everything was explained clearly to me about the process ahead."

Anonymous, Reviews.io Divorce mediation

Your questions

Family mediation FAQs

Get an instant answer, day or night. It knows our fees, how a MIAM works and the legal aid rules, and it will hand you to the team if it cannot help.

See all 30 FAQs

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Get an instant answer, day or night. It knows our fees, how a MIAM works and the legal aid rules, and it will hand you to the team if it cannot help.

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What does family mediation involve?

Structured discussions between you and the other person, guided by a trained, impartial mediator. You work through issues such as child arrangements, property and finances in a calm, neutral setting. Your mediator will not take sides or make decisions for you, but will help you both communicate and find practical solutions that work for your family.

Is divorce mediation the same as family mediation?

Yes. Divorce mediation is family mediation used by couples who are divorcing or ending a civil partnership, usually to agree a financial settlement and arrangements for children. The process, the mediators and the costs are the same, and it is open to unmarried and cohabiting couples too.

How much does family mediation cost in the UK?

At Mediate UK an online MIAM costs £115 per person plus VAT, and joint mediation sessions are charged at £120 per person, per hour plus VAT. Most clients resolve matters within a small number of sessions. If you qualify for legal aid, it is free.

Is family mediation free or funded by the government?

Not for everyone, but legal aid may be available if you are on a low income or receive certain benefits, and Mediate UK holds a Legal Aid Agency contract. For parenting matters we are signed up to the government’s voucher scheme, which provides up to £500 towards joint mediation costs.

What is the success rate of family mediation in the UK?

In 2025, 90% of Mediate UK clients who attended joint mediation went on to reach a full or partial agreement. The Family Mediation Council’s most recent survey put the national figure at just over 70%. Even where full agreement is not reached, mediation usually narrows the issues that need court involvement.

Do I have to attend a MIAM before going to court?

For most family court applications, yes. A MIAM shows the court you have considered mediation, and since April 2024 refusing to consider it without good reason can affect who pays legal costs. Some exemptions apply, such as domestic abuse or urgency. Our free “Do I need a MIAM?” tool checks your situation in about a minute.

How long does family mediation take?

A standard MIAM is usually available the same week and an urgent MIAM within 24 hours. Most couples agree their arrangements in two to four joint sessions over six to twelve weeks, compared with more than a year for contested court proceedings.

Can our agreement be made legally binding after mediation?

Yes. Once you have agreed, your mediator prepares a memorandum of understanding or parenting plan. Our family law solicitors can then turn it into a consent order or court order through one of our fixed fee packages, or you are welcome to use your own solicitor.

Family mediation blog and guides

Family mediation guides

Our family law blog and ultimate guides have over 30,000 visits each month.

Visit our mediation blog

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