UK Finance has today submitted its response to the Ministry of Justice's consultation, A fairer end to relationships, covering proposed reforms to financial remedies on divorce and to the rights of cohabitants on separation and intestacy.

How these reforms are implemented will have a direct bearing on outcomes for separating customers, including victim-survivors of domestic and economic abuse, for whom clarity and consistency in financial arrangements can be critical to achieving independence. A single, industry-wide response ensures a consistent approach across firms and allows best practice to be shared.

This builds on our 2024 report, From Control to Financial Freedom, and draws on evidence from across mortgages, current accounts, credit and insurance. Our response is built around three core positions:

Reforms must be workable for courts, customers and firms. Any changes should be practical, clear and capable of consistent implementation, giving courts better information and clearer tools without increasing cost, delay or evidential burden for customers, including victim-survivors.

Fair outcomes require assets, liabilities and affordability to be considered together. A fair outcome cannot be reached by looking at assets in isolation. We support fuller financial disclosure and the appropriate use of Credit Reference Agency information, so that courts have a complete picture of a household's financial position.

Domestic and economic abuse should be an explicit consideration in financial remedy and cohabitation proceedings. Ongoing financial products, including mortgages and joint accounts, can provide routes for continuing economic control after separation, and we support greater recognition of this within the legal framework.

We have also called for a clear, objective definition of cohabitant, and for plain-English court orders that firms and customers can act on quickly and with confidence.

We will continue to monitor this consultation closely and engage with the Ministry of Justice as these reforms develop.