Our Separation Agreement template is for use in the UK by married or cohabiting couples, or those that have a Civil Partnership, who have separated or are about to separate and in each case they want to record the terms of their separation in a legal document. A separation agreement is not strictly legally binding in the UK in terms of a financial settlement, but the courts will give a lot of consideration to it. Without the presence of extenuating services, a court will in most cases require that the parties (should a dispute arise) stick to the terms that they previously agreed and had documented in the separation agreement. This type of agreement may also be known a:

a Deed of Separation; or
a Legal Separation Agreement.

Using this Separation Agreement template

Drafted by David, our co-founding solicitor of over 20 years experience, you can rely on this template being both comprehensive and up-to-date. Simply download in Word format and then complete the document with the help of our detailed guide, which is included free with your purchase. You can have a look at that guide before you buy. It will give you a good idea of the clauses in the agreement – what it covers and how it works.

We have written the template in clear plain English, and on average the agreement takes about one hour to complete. You can re-use the template as many times as you require. However, given the nature of this template, you will hopefully only have need for it once.

Benefits of a Separation Agreement for Couples

Putting this agreement in place is ideal if a couple is not planning to file for divorce immediately. This can be the case quite often, for example, you might not yet meet the criteria for applying for a divorce, e.g. on the grounds of 2 years’ separation. It provides peace of mind for the couple in knowing that the terms have been agreed in a legal agreement. This also provides time for a couple to consider their marriage. Many separations do not remain permanent and delaying divorce may suit some couples. Also if it comes to going through with the divorce, you can present the separation agreement to the court. The court may well give it approval as a permanent financial settlement.

Other Considerations

Following a separation, it is sensible for each of you to revisit your Wills. Consider whether you need to make any changes to them. We have an extensive range of will templates in our Wills and Probate section.