Form E explained: what it is and what to gather

England and Wales · Facts checked 12 November 2026

Form E is the financial statement each of you completes when a court is asked to decide how money and property are divided. It sets out everything you own, owe, earn and need, with documents to prove it. Both of you fill one in, and you swap them no later than 35 days before the first court appointment.

If the two of you agree about money, you do not complete Form E at all. You send the court your agreement with a statement of information form instead.

What the form covers

The form has five parts.

General information. Names, dates, the marriage, children, health and where you live now.
Financial details. Property, bank accounts, investments, debts, business interests, pensions and every source of income. This is most of the form.
Financial requirements. What you need to live on, and what you need in capital, including for any children.
Other information. Changes you expect, the standard of living during the marriage, contributions, and anything else you think is relevant.
Order sought. What you are asking the court to do.

It ends with a statement of truth, which must be signed.

The documents you must attach

This is where the time goes. The form's own schedule lists:

For	You attach
The family home and any other property	A copy of any valuation obtained within the last six months (if you do not have one, the form asks for your own realistic estimate of the value), and a recent mortgage statement for each mortgage
Every bank, building society and National Savings account held in the last 12 months	Statements for the last 12 months
Investments	The latest statement or dividend counterfoil for each
Life insurance and endowment policies	A surrender valuation for each policy that has one
Each business	Accounts for the last two financial years, and anything supporting your estimate of its value
Each pension	A recent statement of its cash equivalent value
Employment	Your P60 for the last financial year, your last three payslips, and your last P11D if you had one
Self-employment or partnership	Your last tax assessment, or an accountant's letter confirming your tax liability. If your income has changed significantly, management accounts for the period since your last accounts
An application to vary an existing order	A copy of that order

You attach copies and keep the originals available.

Start with the slow ones

The form allows for a pension valuation not arriving in time: if you do not have one, you attach a copy of your letter requesting it and any reply. A pension valuation can only be used if it will be no more than a year old at the first appointment. A property valuation counts only if it was obtained within the last six months, so an older one will not do.

Twelve months of statements for every account is more paper than most people expect. Accounts you closed during the year count too.

Full and frank disclosure

Form E opens with a warning. You have a duty to give "full, frank and clear disclosure". The form says that:

failing to disclose fully and accurately may lead to any order the court makes being set aside;
deliberate untruthfulness may lead to criminal proceedings for fraud;
a false statement in a document verified by a statement of truth can lead to proceedings for contempt of court.

The court can also make a costs order against you if you miss the filing deadline.

The deadline

Send the completed form to the court, and a copy to the other person, no later than 35 days before the first appointment. You will find the date of the first appointment on Form C, which the court sends after an application is made. GOV.UK says the first appointment is usually 12 to 14 weeks after the application.

What Form E does not tell you

Form E records your finances. It does not tell you what a fair outcome looks like, what to ask for in part 5, or what to accept. Those are questions for a solicitor.

This guide explains the form. It is not legal advice.

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Quick answers

Do I have to fill in Form E?

Only if the court is being asked to decide your finances. If you and your spouse agree, neither of you completes Form E; you send the court your agreement with a statement of information form instead.

When does Form E have to be sent?

To the court, with a copy to the other person, no later than 35 days before the first appointment. The date of the first appointment is on Form C, which the court sends you.

How many months of bank statements does Form E need?

The last 12 months, for every bank, building society and National Savings account you have held in that time.

What happens if I leave something out of Form E?

You have a duty to give full, frank and clear disclosure. The form itself warns that failing to disclose fully can lead to a court order being set aside, and that deliberate untruthfulness can lead to criminal proceedings for fraud or proceedings for contempt of court.

Sources

Figures and rules on this page were checked against these sources on 12 November 2026. Fees and rules change, so check the source if you are relying on a number.

More guides

This page gives general information about the process in England and Wales. It is not legal advice, and it cannot tell you what to claim, what to accept or what to do in your situation. For that, speak to a solicitor.