What is Form E?
Form E is the mandatory financial disclosure document used in England & Wales for financial remedy proceedings following divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership. It requires you to provide a complete and honest picture of your financial circumstances — assets, income, liabilities, and needs.
The form has six main parts: General Information, Financial Details, Income, Income Needs, Other Information, and the Order you're seeking. This guide covers each part with practical tips and common pitfalls to avoid.
Your duty is "full and frank disclosure" — meaning you must declare all assets, income, and debts, regardless of whose name they're in, where they're located, or how they were acquired.
Start Divorce Application
Apply for divorce (sole or joint)
Complete Form E
Full financial disclosure (This Step)
Negotiation / FDA
First Appointment at court or private negotiation
Part 1: General Information
This section establishes who you are, your marriage details, and your current circumstances. It's mostly straightforward, but accuracy matters — especially dates.
0/5Documents & Info Needed
- Marriage or civil partnership certificate
- Current address and address history (last 12 months)
- Details of any children (names, DOBs, living arrangements)
- Employment details (employer name, job title)
- Date of separation
What to Include
- Personal details: Your full legal name (as on passport), date of birth, current occupation, and address with how long you've lived there.
- Spouse details: Their full name, date of birth, occupation, and address (if different from yours).
- Marriage details: Date of marriage, date of separation, and whether decree nisi/conditional order has been granted.
- Children: Names, dates of birth, who they live with, and any special needs or circumstances.
- Employment: Current status (employed, self-employed, unemployed, retired), employer details, job title, and hours worked.
- Health: Any health conditions affecting your earning capacity or needs.
- Other proceedings: Any other court proceedings involving finances or children.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using the wrong date of separation — this is when you stopped living as a married couple, even if still under the same roof
- Forgetting to include adult children still in education who may affect the settlement
- Not disclosing new relationships — if you have a new partner, especially if cohabiting, this must be declared
Divvio Tip
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Part 2: Financial Details
This is the largest and most important section. You must disclose all assets and liabilities — property, bank accounts, investments, pensions, and debts. Miss something, and you risk your settlement being overturned.
0/8Documents You Must Gather
- Property valuations (estate agent appraisals or surveyor report)
- 12 months of mortgage statements
- 12 months of bank statements for ALL accounts
- Investment account statements (ISAs, stocks, bonds)
- Pension CETV documents (not fund value statements)
- Life insurance surrender values
- Credit card and loan statements
- Business accounts (if self-employed or company director)
2.1 Property & Real Estate
List the family home and any other properties (buy-to-lets, holiday homes, inherited property, land, overseas property). For each, you need:
- Property address and type
- Ownership (sole, joint tenants, tenants in common) and your percentage share
- Current market value (from estate agent or surveyor)
- Outstanding mortgage balance
- Net equity (value minus mortgage = what's left to divide)
2.2 Bank Accounts & Savings
List every account — current accounts, savings accounts, ISAs, premium bonds, joint accounts, and children's accounts in your name. Include accounts with small balances or rarely used.
For each account: bank name, account type, account number, current balance (as of a specific recent date), and whether sole or joint.
2.3 Investments
This includes stocks, shares, bonds, investment platforms (like Hargreaves Lansdown, Vanguard), cryptocurrency, workplace share schemes, and any other investments.
2.4 Pensions (Critical Warning)
Pensions are often the second-largest asset after the family home. You almost certainly CANNOT use the "fund value" shown on your annual statement.
You must obtain a Cash Equivalent Transfer Value (CETV).
- CETV represents the capital value of the pension benefits today.
- Fund value can be misleading, especially for Defined Benefit (final salary) schemes.
- It takes 10-20 business days to get a CETV — request this immediately.
2.5 Liabilities & Debts
List all debts: credit cards, personal loans, car finance, overdrafts, student loans, tax debts, and loans from family or friends. For each: creditor name, total amount owed, interest rate, and monthly repayment.
2.6 Business Interests
If you own a business, are a partner, or hold shares in a private company, you must provide: business name, your ownership percentage, latest accounts, and a valuation of your interest. Company directorships must also be declared.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using pension fund value instead of CETV — courts only accept CETV
- Forgetting old workplace pensions from previous jobs
- Not including cryptocurrency or digital assets
- Omitting 'soft loans' from family — even if informal, they're assets or liabilities
- Undervaluing business interests — get a proper valuation if significant
Divvio Tip
Divvio automatically calculates your net equity, total assets, and total liabilities. Just enter the raw figures and we do the maths — matching the exact totals Form E requires.
Part 3: Income
Declare all sources of income — employment, self-employment, benefits, investments, and rental income. This affects both asset division and any maintenance orders.
0/7Income Documents
- P60 from last tax year
- Last 3 months payslips
- P11D (if you receive benefits in kind)
- SA302 tax calculation (if self-employed)
- Business accounts (last 2 years) - if relevant
- Benefits award letters
- Pension income statements (if already retired)
Types of Income to Declare
- Employment income: Gross and net salary, bonuses, overtime, commission, benefits in kind (company car, private medical).
- Self-employment income: If you are a sole trader or partner, you need to declare your net profit. If you are a director taking dividends, declare salary AND dividends.
- Investment income: Dividends, interest, rental income from properties.
- State benefits: Universal Credit, Child Benefit, PIP, ESA, pension credit.
- Other income: Maintenance received, trust income, regular gifts from family.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Only declaring basic salary — include all bonuses, overtime, and benefits
- Not accounting for recent pay rises or expected changes
- Forgetting rental income from buy-to-let properties
Divvio Tip
Confused about gross vs net? Divvio asks for your gross salary and automatically applies UK tax calculations to show your take-home pay — exactly what Form E requires.
Part 4: Income Needs (Budget)
Section 3.1 of Form E asks for your monthly outgoings — current and anticipated. This is crucial for maintenance calculations and proving your financial needs.
0/5Budgeting Documents
- Recent utility bills (gas, electricity, water)
- Council tax bill
- Insurance documents (car, home, life)
- Childcare invoices or school fee statements
- Bank statements showing regular outgoings
Budget Categories
Form E breaks down your budget into detailed categories. For each, provide your current monthly spend and your anticipated future spend (which may differ if circumstances are changing):
- • Housing (Rent/mortgage, council tax)
- • Utilities (Energy, water, phone, internet)
- • Transport (Car finance, fuel, insurance)
- • Children (Childcare, school fees, activities)
- • Personal (Food, clothing, toiletries)
- • Debt repayments (Separate from mortgage)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Underestimating expenses to appear less needy — be realistic, not modest
- Forgetting annual costs (car tax, insurance) — divide by 12 for monthly
- Not separating children's expenses when they're significant
Divvio Tip
Not sure what normal spending looks like? Our Budget Calculator uses ONS national averages as benchmarks, so you can see if your figures are reasonable.
Part 5: Other Information
This section covers context that might affect the settlement: your standard of living during the marriage, contributions, conduct, and life changes.
What to Include
- Standard of living: Describe your lifestyle during the marriage — holidays, dining out, cars, general material standard.
- Contributions: Both financial (deposits, inheritance used for family) and non-financial (homemaking, childcare, supporting spouse's career).
- Conduct: Only relevant if it's "gross and obvious" and had financial impact (e.g., gambling away assets). Infidelity alone is not relevant.
- Changes in last 12 months: Major transactions, asset sales, large gifts given or received, significant purchases.
- New partner finances: If you have a new partner, especially if cohabiting, their contribution to your household costs must be declared.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Over-emphasizing conduct — courts rarely consider it unless there's clear financial misconduct
- Hiding significant transactions in the last 12 months — courts look for asset dissipation
- Not disclosing a new partner's financial contribution if you're cohabiting
Divvio Tip
Not sure what counts as a significant "contribution"? Focus on facts, not feelings. Did you bring a deposit? Give up a career? Support your spouse through training? These are contributions.
Part 6: Order Sought & Documents
The final section: what outcome you're seeking and what documents you're attaching as evidence.
Orders You Can Seek
- Property transfer (transferring the home to you)
- Sale of property (selling and dividing proceeds)
- Lump sum payment
- Periodical payments (maintenance)
- Pension sharing or attachment orders
- Clean break (ending all financial ties)
Document Checklist
0/11Final Submission Checklist
- Property valuations for family home and any other properties
- 12 months mortgage statements for each property
- 12 months bank statements for ALL accounts
- Investment/savings account statements
- Life insurance surrender values
- Pension CETV documents
- P60 (last tax year)
- Last 3 months payslips
- P11D (if issued)
- SA302 tax calculation or accountant's certificate (if self-employed)
- Business accounts (last 2 years) if applicable
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Marking documents as 'not applicable' when they're actually required
- Providing incomplete bank statements (must be 12 months, all pages)
- Submitting pension fund value instead of CETV
Divvio Tip
Divvio generates a personalised document checklist based on your answers. As you complete each section, we tell you exactly what evidence you'll need — no guesswork.
The Statement of Truth
Form E ends with a Statement of Truth. By signing, you confirm that the information is true to the best of your knowledge. Making a false statement is a contempt of court.
Who signs? You sign personally. If you have a solicitor, they don't sign for you — though they may witness your signature. If you're a litigant in person (no solicitor), you still sign yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to complete Form E?
Do I need a solicitor to complete Form E?
What if I don't have all the documents yet?
What happens if I make a mistake on Form E?
What is "full and frank disclosure"?
Will my spouse see my Form E?
How do I value my pension for Form E?
Can both parties use the same Form E?
Ready to Complete Your Form E?
Divvio guides you through every section with smart validation, automatic calculations, and a personalised document checklist. Complete your Form E faster and with confidence.