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Get a legal separation
To get a legal separation, you need to fill in a separation petition and send it to the court.
A legal separation allows you to live apart, without divorcing or ending a civil partnership.
Because of coronavirus (COVID-19), legal separation applications are taking longer than usual to process.
You can ask for a legal separation for the same reasons you could file for a divorce or end a civil partnership.
However, you do not need to show that the marriage or civil partnership has broken down irretrievably.
You may want a legal separation if:
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you have religious reasons against divorce
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you’ve been married or in a civil partnership for less than a year
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you want time and space to work out if you want to end the marriage or civil partnership
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Fill in a judicial separation petition - form D8.
Send 3 copies of the petition to your nearest divorce center, and keep your own copy. You need to include a certified copy of your marriage or civil partnership certificate when you send the form.
Getting a legal separation costs £365.