Key Takeaways
- Joint applications, which allow a couple to divorce together rather than one party filing against the other, didn’t exist before April 2022.
- The share of divorce applications made jointly has risen every year since, from 21.6% in 2022 to 26.6% in 2025, moving from around one in five to one in four.
- A joint application suits couples who agree the marriage is over, removing the service step and setting a more cooperative tone from the outset.
- It’s not the right route in every case, particularly where communication has broken down or one party is unwilling to engage.
When no-fault divorce came into force in April 2022, it did more than remove blame from the process. For the first time in the law of England and Wales, it allowed a couple to apply for a divorce together, as joint applicants, rather than one person filing against the other. It was a small procedural change with a symbolic weight – an acknowledgement that a marriage can end by mutual agreement rather than by one party taking action against the other.
Four years on, the option is being chosen more each year. The proportion of divorce applications made jointly has climbed steadily, from roughly one in five to one in four. Behind that shift is a quieter, less hostile way of ending a marriage, and a sign that the cooperative intent of the reform is taking hold.
This article looks at what the court data shows about the rise of joint applications, how the process differs from a sole application, and when each route makes sense.
A steady year-on-year rise
The team at Osbourne Pinner analysed the Ministry of Justice’s court data to track how the take-up of joint applications has changed since they became available.
- In 2022, the first year of no-fault divorce, joint applications made up 21.6% of all applications.
- That rose to 23.3% in 2023
- Then 24.8% in 2024
- And reached 26.6% in 2025
The share has increased every single year, moving the typical description from around one in five to one in four.
The trend is modest in any single year. But it’s consistent, and it points in one direction. A growing minority of couples are choosing to treat the end of their marriage as something done together rather than something done to one another. The figure sits alongside the other findings in the accompanying divorce statistics analysis.
What is a joint application?
A joint application is a divorce brought by both parties together. Both are named as applicants, both complete the application, and both move through the stages at the same time as each other.
It stands in contrast to a sole application, where one person (the applicant) starts the divorce. The other (the respondent) is served with the papers and asked to acknowledge them. Under the old law, a sole application was the only route, and it required one spouse to make the case against the other. The joint application removes that framing entirely.
The practical mechanics are set out in the guide to the divorce process, but the essential difference is one of posture. A joint application begins from agreement. A sole application begins with one party acting and the other responding.
Why couples are choosing it
The appeal of a joint application lies mostly in tone and in the removal of one procedural hurdle.
- No service step: Because both parties are applicants, there’s no need to serve papers on a respondent and wait for an acknowledgement. That removes a stage where a sole application can stall if the other party is slow to respond or declines to engage.
- A cooperative starting point: Applying together sets a collaborative tone from the outset, which many couples find easier to carry through into the harder conversations about finances and children.
- Less conflict built into the paperwork: Nobody is named as the party being divorced. For couples who have reached the decision mutually, that framing feels closer to the reality of their situation.
None of this shortens the mandatory waiting periods, though, which apply to every divorce regardless of route. The 20-week reflection period and the further six weeks and one day before the final order are fixed by law.
When a joint application is not the right route
A joint application depends on cooperation, so it’s not suited to every situation. A sole application is often the more practical and appropriate choice where:
- Communication between the couple has broken down
- One party is unwilling to engage
- There is any imbalance of power or history of controlling behaviour
It’s also worth knowing that a joint application can be converted to a sole application later if circumstances change. For example, if one party stops cooperating partway through. The reverse isn’t possible though. So, a sole application can’t be switched to a joint one. That asymmetry is worth bearing in mind at the outset.
For couples weighing up which route fits their circumstances, the distinction is less about speed, since the timescales are largely the same. It’s more about the working relationship between the two parties and how each expects the process to unfold.
Speak to a divorce and family law solicitor
Whether a joint or sole application is the better route depends on the particular circumstances of a separation as much as the legal position. Not to mention the relationship between the two parties.
At Osbourne Pinner, our divorce and family law solicitors advise on both routes and can help determine which is appropriate, as well as handling the application and the financial and children matters that run alongside it.
Please note that this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. We always recommend speaking to a qualified divorce solicitor for advice tailored to your specific circumstances.
We also offer a free 30-minute consultation, available via video call or in person at our offices in Harrow, Canary Wharf, Piccadilly Circus or Manchester. To arrange a consultation, call 0203 983 5080, email [email protected] or complete the form below. Osbourne Pinner does not offer Legal Aid.
