This guide is for you if you are in the process of splitting up with your partner who you have lived with. It will be helpful if you are still living together or if one of you has moved out. It will tell you what you need to think about, what the law says, and help you to find ways of agreeing arrangements with your ex. It will also remind you who you need to tell, and explain how to find the help you might need to plan for the future.

We know that the next few months are going to be undeniably hard. We want to help you find your way through the maze of practical and legal things you need to sort out so that you can avoid common problems, minimise your stress, and use your energy effectively.

This guide will tell you what you need to think about, what the law says, and help you to find ways of agreeing arrangements with your ex. It will also remind you who you need to tell, and explain how to find the help you might need to plan for the future.

This guide is not intended for couples that were married or in a civil partnership because the law as to how you divide any money and property you have is different. However, you may still find the ‘What you need to do and who you need to tell’ section helpful.

Couples that have been living together don’t own everything equally in the way married couples or those in a civil partnership do. But most couples have shared a home, have bought things together, and often have shared savings and debts.

You and your ex-partner need to work out a fair way of dividing your money, debts and property between you. If you find it impossible to agree there are sometimes things a court can help with, but this is stressful, expensive, and slow so should only be considered as a last resort.

The best starting point is to speak to one of our mediators about how you and your former partner can work with them to sort things out.