Separating couples have been encouraged by the Justice Secretary Ken Clarke to consider using mediation to reach agreement over their divorce or separation, rather than going to court.

Under new rules introduced last year, separating couples now must complete a mandatory assessment to determine if mediation is a better option for them.

Mr Clarke said:

'In the vast majority of cases mediation is a much more sensible way for couples to conduct their separation - it is quicker, cheaper, less confrontational and it encourages people to resolve their issues rather than turning to judges and lawyers.”

In addition to encouraging separating couples to consider mediation, the Government has introduced a number of other reforms to encourage people and businesses to take responsibility for their own disputes. These include:

• A first major overhaul of the civil justice system in 15 years, which will tackle fears that a damaging compensation culture and an unwieldy justice system is costing businesses millions of pounds and deterring deserving individuals from using the justice system. Under the proposals more people will be encouraged to use mediation instead of going to a court hearing.
• Government leading by example by signing a new Dispute Resolution Commitment which means all departments and agencies must consider using alternatives like mediation, arbitration and conciliation first before taking disputes to court. This will build on savings of more than £360m made in the last decade.
• Reforming the legal aid system, which is one of the most expensive in the world, so that courts are seen as a place of last resort, not a first choice, and more cases are resolved earlier with different approaches aimed at simpler dispute resolution.