Last updated: April 2026
by Jess Knauf, Director of Client Strategy at Mediate UK, April 2026. Prices reflect Mediate UK’s current published fees on our costs page and are accurate as of 17 April 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Most couples split mediation fees equally, but you can agree for one person to pay in full if that works better for your circumstances.
- Mediate UK’s initial meetings start at £115 plus VAT per hour online, and joint sessions start at £120 plus VAT per person per hour.
- The government £500 voucher scheme covers mediation for child arrangements matters.
- Legal Aid for family mediation is coming to Mediate UK in summer 2026 for those who qualify. We will update this page once the contract is live.
- Court proceedings can cost £20,000 plus VAT or more, compared to a typical mediation total of £1,000 to £2,500 per person.
- Every pound paid for mediation can be taken off Mediate UK’s fixed-fee legal packages once an agreement is reached.
Who Pays For Family Mediation
Family mediation costs are normally shared equally between both parties, but you can agree for one person to pay in full, use a joint account, or have one party pay upfront and recover the cost in the final financial settlement. Where one party qualifies for Legal Aid or a £500 government voucher, those funds reduce what either of you has to pay. This page is a companion guide to our main Family Mediation Costs page, where our full, up-to-date price list is published.
The £230,000 Mistake: Why the Answer to “Who Pays?” Matters
Case Study: From £230,000 in Legal Fees to a £1,000 Mediated Agreement
A high-net-worth couple was referred to us by a family court judge after spending £230,000 between them in legal fees with no resolution in sight. The dispute involved complex pension interests, a family business, and international assets. By the time they arrived at mediation, positions were deeply entrenched and relationships with solicitors had broken down on both sides.
It took six joint mediation sessions, supported by a joint barrister review, to reach a full financial agreement. Their total Mediate UK and Family Law Service fees came to just over £1,000 each, a combined saving of more than £228,000 compared to what they had already spent.
The first question they asked at the MIAM was the same one most of our clients ask: who pays for family mediation? The answer they got, and the one you will find in this guide, is that with transparent pricing and shared costs, the question becomes much less important than simply starting the process.
Most cases are nowhere near this complex, but the principle is the same. Arguing about who pays almost always costs more than simply paying and getting on with it. The rest of this guide explains the standard payment approaches, when Legal Aid and the government voucher scheme apply, and what to do if your ex will not pay their share.
How Mediation Fees Are Normally Paid
The Standard Approach: Split Costs Equally
Family mediation fees are quoted per person per hour, which makes a 50/50 split the default. Both parties benefit equally from reaching an agreement, both parties have a say in the process, and sharing the fees creates a shared commitment to making progress.
Mediate UK quotes all fees plus VAT, per person, and charges only for the time spent in session. There are no extras for emails, letters, preparation time, or phone calls, which keeps the cost predictable. Full details are on our costs page, where there is a free costs estimator tool.
Alternative Payment Arrangements
The 50/50 split is the default but is not the only way to pay. Common alternatives include:
- Joint account: couples who still have a joint account can pay the whole fee from it, so it comes out of what is, in practice, shared money.
- One party pays upfront, recoverable in the settlement: the party with easier access to liquid funds pays the mediation fees and the total is factored into the financial settlement when an agreement is reached.
- One party pays in full: where one person genuinely cannot afford their share, or wants to remove cost as a barrier to getting started, the other can pay the whole fee.
- Cost allocation as part of mediation: the question of who pays can itself be one of the issues discussed and resolved in mediation.
Whichever method you choose, Mediate UK’s pricing is fixed from the start, so there are no surprises part way through.
Mediate UK Fees at a Glance
Here is how our fees break down. All prices are per person and exclude VAT unless stated. The full price list and any occasional adjustments are always on our live costs page.
| Service | Price (plus VAT) |
|---|---|
| Initial meeting (MIAM) online | £115 per hour |
| Initial meeting face to face | £150 per hour |
| Initial meeting face to face, Central London | £180 per hour |
| Joint mediation session online | £120 per hour |
| Joint mediation session face to face | £150 per hour |
| Joint mediation session, Central London | £180 per hour |
| Child inclusive mediation | £199 per parent |
| Fixed-fee legal separation package (includes mediation and deed of separation) | £1,099 per person |
| Fixed-fee consent order package (includes mediation, drafting and submission) | From £1,649 per person |
| Barrister review | £649 per person |
| Legal advice and written report (1 hour) | £250 |
For most families, total mediation fees work out at between £1,000 and £2,500 per person (excluding VAT) to reach a full agreement on parenting or finances. If you then want that agreement formalised as a consent order, the fixed-fee packages roll the mediation cost into the wider legal fee, so every pound you have paid is credited against the package.
See Our Full Fee List and Book a MIAM
Our full price list, including fixed-fee packages and document fees, is always published on our costs page. Not sure if you need a MIAM? Use our free calculator first.
Government Help Towards the Cost
The £500 Family Mediation Voucher Scheme
If your mediation involves child arrangements, the government’s family mediation voucher scheme contributes up to £500 towards the cost. In practice that usually covers your first joint mediation session in full, so both parties typically pay nothing for that session. The voucher is administered by the Family Mediation Council and applied automatically by us on eligible cases, there is no separate application for you to make.
The voucher can be applied whether you are discussing children only, or children alongside finances. It does not apply to mediation that is purely about finances or property.
You can read more about the scheme and how we apply it on our voucher scheme page.
Legal Aid for Family Mediation
Legal Aid is available for family mediation for people on low incomes, certain benefits, or limited savings. Where one party qualifies, Legal Aid covers their mediation in full, and also pays for the other party’s MIAM and first joint session.
Mediate UK offers legal aid funded family mediation.
What If My Ex Will Not Pay Their Share?
This is one of the most common blockers people tell us about. There is no mechanism that forces the other party to contribute to mediation fees, so if your ex refuses to pay, you have three realistic options:
- Do nothing for now: if the current arrangements are workable, you can hold off and keep the door open. This rarely solves anything but it is an option.
- Pay the full cost yourself: if the amounts in dispute are significant, paying the mediation fees in full is often cheaper than waiting, going to court, or letting the situation drift.
- Apply to court: you would need to attend a MIAM first unless a MIAM exemption applies, and court fees and legal costs generally start in the thousands.
“We understand the frustration when someone feels the other party should pay because they caused the problems. But just as the court does not punish behaviour during a relationship, mediation cannot force a payment arrangement. If you cannot agree on cost, mediation simply cannot go ahead. The good news is that in our experience, when one party offers to pay in full, the other usually agrees to contribute once they see the process is serious.”
Jess Knauf, Director of Client Strategy, Mediate UK
Case Study: Martin and Mai’s Journey
Martin and Mai came to us after Martin ended their marriage. Their children were over 18, but emotions were still high. Mai insisted Martin should pay all of the mediation costs on the basis that he had caused the separation. Martin refused and initially went down the court route, but had to complete a MIAM first.
During the MIAM, Martin agreed to let us formally invite Mai to mediation. Mai agreed to pay for her own initial meeting but insisted Martin pay for all joint sessions. Martin, facing much bigger costs if the case went to court, reluctantly accepted. They completed full financial disclosure but stalled on the emotional aspects of the settlement.
Both of them agreed to commission a joint barrister review at £649 plus VAT each. The report gave them an independent view of what a court would likely order, and that clarity broke the deadlock. Their total combined fees (including mediation, the barrister review, their divorce and the consent order) came to just over £2,000 each plus VAT. Their original court quotes had been between £5,000 and £10,000 per person just to reach the first hearing, with no guarantee of resolution.
How Mediation Compares to Court
| Route | Typical Cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| DIY agreement (kitchen table) | £0 to £1,649* | Weeks |
| Family mediation (Mediate UK) | £1,000 to £2,500 per person | 6-12 weeks |
| Solicitor negotiation | £5,000+ per person | 3-6 months |
| Contested court proceedings | £20,000+ per person | 12-18 months |
*A DIY agreement can be free if you do everything yourselves, but most couples still want a solicitor-drafted financial consent order to make the agreement legally binding. Mediate UK’s fixed-fee consent order package starts at £1,649 per person plus VAT.
Solicitor fees typically start at £300 per hour plus VAT and can climb much higher in London. Court fees also apply: £628 for a divorce, £62 for a financial consent order, and £270 for a child arrangements order application.
What Is Included in the Mediation Fee
One of the reasons Mediate UK’s fees are so predictable is that the hourly rate covers everything you would normally expect to be billed separately. Included in the price:
- Mediator preparation time before your session.
- Write-ups and notes after each session.
- All phone calls and emails to you and your ex between sessions.
- Securing and collating financial disclosure from both parties.
- Online or face-to-face delivery at no extra charge (Central London rates differ, see costs page).
VAT applies at the standard rate of 20% and is shown on every invoice. Documents such as the Memorandum of Understanding (£95 per person plus VAT) and Open Financial Statement (£55 per person plus VAT) are chargeable separately, but are included free with any of our fixed-fee packages.
Family Law Service
Need to Turn Your Agreement Into a Consent Order?
Once you have reached an agreement in mediation, our sister company Family Law Service can draft it into a legally binding consent order from just £499, all in, with no hourly billing. Most clients use our Mediate UK fixed-fee consent order package to roll mediation and drafting into a single transparent price.
Summary
Most families split mediation fees equally, but you can pay from a joint account, have one party pay upfront and settle in the divorce, or simply agree that one person will pay in full. Mediate UK’s prices start at £115 plus VAT per hour for an online MIAM and £120 plus VAT per person per hour for joint mediation, with the full price list on our costs page.
The £500 government voucher scheme covers child arrangement cases, and Mediate UK will be offering Legal Aid for family mediation from summer 2026. Whichever route you use, mediation is a fraction of the cost of court, and every pound paid can be offset against our fixed-fee legal packages once your agreement is reached.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays for family mediation in the UK?
Family mediation fees are normally split equally between both parties. You can also pay from a joint account, have one party pay upfront and factor the cost into the financial settlement, or agree that one person pays in full. Where Legal Aid or the £500 voucher scheme apply, they reduce or remove the fees for eligible clients.
How much does family mediation cost at Mediate UK?
Our initial online MIAM is £115 per hour plus VAT, and joint online mediation sessions are £120 per person per hour plus VAT. Face-to-face sessions are £150 per person per hour plus VAT outside Central London. Our full price list is available on our costs page.
Does Mediate UK offer Legal Aid?
Mediate UK will be offering Legal Aid for family mediation service from summer 2026, once our new Legal Aid Agency contract is live. Until then, you can check your eligibility through the GOV.UK Legal Aid calculator and find an existing Legal Aid provider via the Family Mediation Council.
What is the £500 mediation voucher scheme?
The government family mediation voucher scheme contributes up to £500 towards mediation fees where the dispute involves child arrangements. The voucher usually covers your first joint mediation session in full and is applied automatically by us on eligible cases.
What happens if my ex refuses to pay for mediation?
If your ex will not pay their share and you cannot agree on an alternative arrangement, mediation cannot go ahead. You can either leave things as they are, pay the full cost yourself, or apply to court, which will be more expensive. In practice, many people agree to contribute once they see the process is serious, especially once they understand the cost of the court alternative.
Is VAT charged on family mediation?
Yes. VAT is charged at the standard rate of 20% on all Mediate UK fees and is shown clearly on every invoice. All prices quoted on our costs page are exclusive of VAT unless stated otherwise.
Can I reclaim mediation costs from my ex?
You cannot directly reclaim mediation fees like you might with a court costs order, but the cost can be factored into a financial settlement. For example, if one party pays the fees upfront, the total can be deducted from their share of the matrimonial assets as part of the mediated agreement.
What’s included in the mediation fee?
The hourly fee covers the mediator’s preparation time, the session itself, write-ups and notes, and all emails, letters and phone calls between sessions. Documents such as a Memorandum of Understanding or Open Financial Statement are charged separately, but are included free of charge with any Mediate UK fixed-fee legal package.
You Might Also Find Helpful
Full Mediate UK Price List See our costs page |
Fixed-Fee Legal Packages Read the guide |
The £500 Mediation Voucher Scheme Find out more |
MIAM Exemption Calculator Use the tool |
Mediate UK is an FMC accredited, Legal Aid Agency contracted provider, with 715+ reviews rated 4.8/5 and more than 23,000 people helped. Book your MIAM to get things moving, find out whether you qualify for legal aid, or have a free 15-minute call with our team if you would rather talk it through first. Urgent MIAMs include a signed court form.
