What is a Form E Financial Statement in Divorce?

In short: A Form E is the financial statement each person completes to disclose their full financial position during a divorce, including property, bank accounts, pensions, income and debts. It is a disclosure document, not a court order. The order that divides your finances comes later, once both people’s figures are confirmed..

If you’ve just been told you need to complete a Form E, it can feel daunting. It’s long, and it arrives at an already stressful time. The good news is that it’s a structured, well-understood process. This guide walks you through what the Form E is, when you need it, what goes in each section, and how to complete it properly.

Important: Form E does not decide who gets what. It’s the honest picture of the facts and figures each person puts forward. The financial order that actually splits your assets is made afterwards, based on that disclosure. Anyone who tells you the form “sets out your settlement” has it the wrong way round.

What is a Form E financial statement?

A Form E is the official financial statement used in divorce and dissolution in England and Wales. Both parties complete their own separate copy.

Its purpose is full financial disclosure: setting out everything you own, owe and earn so that a fair financial settlement can be worked out. You have a duty to the court and your spouse/civil partner to give full, frank and clear disclosure of your financial circumstances:  the “full and frank” standard you may hear lawyers refer to. 

The current version is Form E (01.23), and it runs to around 29 pages. You can download the form and its official guidance notes from the GOV.UK financial remedy forms page.

When do you have to complete a Form E in divorce?

There are two main situations:

1. Court-ordered financial remedy proceedings: If you and your ex can’t agree how to divide your finances and one of you applies to court, the court will direct both of you to complete and exchange a Form E.
2. Voluntary exchange: Some couples, often through their lawyers or in mediation, choose to exchange Form Es voluntarily to get a clear, honest picture before negotiating. Nobody has forced them to court, but they use the same disclosure framework because it’s thorough and gives structure to the conversation.

Either way, the aim is the same: get an accurate, shared understanding of both financial positions before any settlement is discussed, agreed or ordered.

Where does Form E fit in the divorce timeline?

When working through the voluntary process, Form Es will be suggested early on.

When working under the court framework, Form E doesn’t come first. It sits at a specific point in the financial remedy process:

1. Form A is issued: Form A is the notice that starts a formal application for a financial order. Filing it tells the court you want it to help resolve your finances.
2. The court sets a First Appointment: This is the first hearing, where a judge takes stock of the case and gives directions on how it will proceed.
3. Form E is exchanged before that hearing: No later than 35 days before the date of the First Appointment, both of you must file your completed Form E at court and exchange it with each other at the same time. Swapping simultaneously stops either person tailoring their disclosure to what the other has said.

A practical point on timing: don’t leave it late. Pension valuations in particular can take weeks to arrive, so request those as soon as you know a Form E is coming.

What does Form E ask for, section by section?

The form is long, but it’s logical. It works through your finances area by area. Here’s what each main part covers:

What does “conduct” mean on a Form E?

This is a common point of confusion, so it’s worth being clear. The conduct section is not an invitation to describe how your ex behaved during the marriage. The court very rarely takes general behaviour into account, and only in genuinely exceptional cases.

In practice, the conduct that carries weight here is financial conduct: hiding assets, recklessly spending or dissipating money, or failing to disclose. If that’s not part of your case, this section is usually left blank. It isn’t the place to air general grievances.

What supporting documents does Form E require?

Form E requires evidence, not just figures. Each section has documents you must attach, and this is where many people slip up. Gaps and screenshots invite awkward follow-up questions later.

The core Form E supporting documents include:

• Bank statements: a full 12 months of statements for every account in your name, sole or joint (including savings, ISAs and accounts closed in the last year). One or two months isn’t enough.
• Property: a recent valuation and a mortgage statement (ideally a redemption statement, which reveals any early repayment charges affecting the true equity).
• Pensions: a cash equivalent value for each scheme. If a valuation isn’t ready, attach a letter confirming when it will be.
• Income if employed: your last three payslips and most recent P60.
• Income if self-employed: your last two years of tax returns and accounts (and SA302s where relevant).
• Debts: statements for loans, credit cards and other liabilities.
• Insurance: surrender valuations for any life policies that have one.

A useful rule of thumb: if you state a figure, be ready to prove it. Organised, complete documents speed everything up and make your disclosure credible.

What happens after you exchange Form E?

Exchanging the form isn’t the finish line. Once each person has read the other’s disclosure, two things typically follow.

• First, questionnaires: Either side can raise written questions asking the other to clarify entries or provide missing documents, ahead of the First Appointment. This is normal and doesn’t mean anyone has done something wrong; it’s how gaps get filled.
• Second, the ongoing duty of disclosure: Your obligation to give full and frank disclosure doesn’t stop the moment you sign the form. If your circumstances change materially, for example a bonus, a redundancy, or a new asset, you must update your disclosure. The picture has to stay honest and current right up to settlement.

What happens if you hide assets or lie on a Form E?

This is where honesty genuinely matters. Form E is signed under a statement of truth, and the consequences of getting it wrong are serious.

Proceedings for contempt of court may be brought against a person who makes a false statement in a document verified by a statement of truth. Beyond that, a failure to give full and accurate disclosure may result in any order the court makes being set aside, meaning a settlement you thought was final could be reopened years later. If you are found to have been deliberately untruthful, criminal proceedings may be brought against you. 

The takeaway is simple: disclose everything, even the awkward items. Non-disclosure is far more damaging than an inconvenient asset.

Form E vs Form E1: what’s the difference?

People sometimes come across Form E1 and worry they’ve got the wrong form. Here’s the distinction:

For most people divorcing, Form E is the one you’ll complete. (There’s also a Form E2 for varying an existing order.) If you’re unsure which applies to you, that’s a good question to put to a lawyer early on.

Form E Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the Form E process take?

It varies. Completing the form and gathering documents usually takes a few weeks of focused effort; pension valuations are the most common cause of delay. In court proceedings, the timeline is anchored to the First Appointment, with Form E exchanged 35 days before it.

Can I complete Form E myself?

Yes. Many people complete their own, and GOV.UK publishes guidance notes to help. That said, the form is detailed, and mistakes or omissions can cost you later, so many people ask a lawyer to review it before it’s exchanged.

What if my ex won’t disclose or I think they’re hiding something?

You have options. Questionnaires can press for missing information and documents. If disclosure remains inadequate, the court can draw adverse inferences and make orders to compel it. This is exactly the kind of situation where legal advice pays off.

Do we both have to fill one in?

Yes. You each complete a separate Form E, and in court proceedings you exchange them at the same time.

How far back do bank statements need to go?

Typically 12 months for every account. Provide the full run rather than selected pages, as gaps tend to prompt questions.

How Holland Family Law can help with your Form E

Form E is manageable, but it’s exacting, and the stakes are real. This is where having an experienced family lawyer alongside you makes a practical difference. Claire and the team at Holland Family Law can:

• Review your Form E before it’s exchanged to catch anything missing or unclear, so it goes out complete and credible the first time.
• Help you gather and organise your supporting documents, from 12 months of bank statements to pension valuations and tax returns, in the right form and order.
• Raise questionnaires where the other side’s disclosure looks incomplete, or something doesn’t add up, and respond to any questions raised about yours.
• Represent you at the First Appointment and advise on the likely shape of your financial settlement, so you know where you stand at each stage.

For related reading, see our pages on financial orders in divorce and consent orders, which explain what happens once disclosure is complete and an agreement is reached.

Get expert help with your Form E

We offer clear, practical advice, and an initial consultation is provided at no charge. Contact Holland Family Law, based in Leicester. We support clients across London, Derby, Nottingham, Northampton, Lincoln, Loughborough, Birmingham, Buckinghamshire, and Windsor.

Book your free, no-obligation 30-minute telephone consultation today. Expert legal support is just a call away. Reach us on 0116 436 2170. We’re here to help you navigate the law with confidence.