Divorcing couples will get a £500 tax-free voucher for mediation in a UK government bid to ease pressure on the courts in England and Wales following the pandemic.

The UK Government has pledged £1 million to allow up to 2,000 couples to hammer out separation arrangements.

The funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

In Ireland, mediation is freely available to separating couples who wish to agree on terms for division of assets, and child custody.

Mediation is not marriage counselling or a legal-advice service.

Less stressful

Courts minister Lord Wolfson QC said: "Mediation is often a quicker, cheaper and less stressful way of resolving disputes, which helps separating couples reach amicable agreements without an unnecessary and often acrimonious court process.

"Our new scheme will open up the benefits of these services to even more families – sparing them the stress of long legal battles, while also helping to lessen the pressure on our family courts as we recover from the pandemic."