Closed petition: Exclude pre-marriage assets from divorce settlements in England and Wales

Closed on 15 November 2025

In Scotland generally only assets acquired from the date of marriage up to the date of separation are considered in divorce settlements. This is not the case in England and Wales, where a spouse can be granted rights to assets - such as pensions - acquired before marriage. We want this to change.

We believe it is unfair that people who are divorced in England and Wales, with financial assets acquired before their marriage, can be disadvantaged compared to people in Scotland when it comes to divorce settlements. We want pre-marriage assets to be excluded from divorce settlements in England and Wales, to mirror rules in Scotland.