Can you really divorce online for £37?

Filing the papers can be cheap, but to ensure you get the outcome you want you will probably have to spend more

More couples are getting divorced, but fewer of these splits end in acrimonious - and expensive - court cases. A rising number of couples are using mediation and online "do-it-yourself" services in a bid to keep costs under control.

The internet has helped drive down the cost of divorce

Latest figures show that 320 couples file for divorce each day, with an increased number splitting during the past few years. Experts say a more buoyant economy - and rising house prices - are behind this, with those who could not afford to split during the recession now initiating this process.

The do-it-yourself route looks cheap, with online providers advertising a "quickie" divorce for as little as £37.

There are additional court fees to pay: they include the £410 fee for filing a divorce petition then a further £45 for the "decree absolute" - the legal document that confirms the divorce has been granted.

But those taking this route should remember that these fees cover divorce papers only; they don't include the cost of sorting out financial or child care arrangements. Often it is legal wrangling about these issues that sends divorce costs spiralling.

- By Emma Simon