Book your MIAM

The first step towards resolving your family dispute – often available within 24 hours

How we can help

The law requires that anyone dealing with a family dispute – whether over finances, property, or child arrangements – attends a MIAM (Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting) before making an application to the family court. It’s the starting point, whether you want to use mediation to resolve your separation or go straight to a family court.

A MIAM is a 1 hour, confidential, one-to-one meeting with a qualified family mediator. It’s your opportunity to explain your situation in detail, understand your options and rights, and get clear directions on the best path forward.

Get started – within 24 hours

Since 2014, a MIAM is a legal requirement in the vast majority of cases. We make it straightforward: fast appointments (often within 24 hours), fixed fees, and the court form is included, free of charge.

A private space

A MIAM is always individual; you’ll never be in the same session as the other party. It’s a confidential meeting where you can speak freely and discuss your situation in detail with the mediator.

Understand your options

Your mediator will explain the law, your rights, and what each route forward looks like – whether that’s mediation, court, or both. You’ll leave with a clear picture of your options and next steps, whatever you decide.

No commitment required

Attending a MIAM doesn’t mean you have to mediate. If mediation isn’t right for your situation, your mediator will sign the required court form at the end of the meeting, so you can proceed to court without delay.

What’s the process?

Everyone comes to a MIAM with different circumstances. Here are the most common situations we help with:

“I’ve been told I need a MIAM before I can apply to court.”

Since 2014, attending a MIAM is a legal requirement before applying to family court – it’s very rare for someone with a family dispute to be able to skip this step. Book your individual appointment, attend your MIAM, and if mediation isn’t suitable or you choose to go straight to court, your mediator will sign the required court form at the end so you can proceed without delay.

Find out more about our Direct to Court package.

Direct to Court package

“I’m not sure whether to mediate or go to court.”

A MIAM is the ideal place to make that decision. Your mediator will take time to understand your situation, explain how mediation works, how this differs from court proceedings, and assess which route is likely to work best for you. There’s no pressure and no obligation to continue. If you’d like to talk things through before booking your MIAM, we offer a free 15-minute consultation.

Get in touch

“I want to resolve things without going to court.”

Your MIAM is the starting point. Once you’ve both had your individual MIAM, joint mediation sessions can begin. If you’d like everything handled in one place – from your MIAM all the way through to a legally binding consent order – our Agreed service covers the entire journey at a fixed, transparent cost.

Find out more

What makes UKMS different

Choosing the right mediator matters. Here’s what sets UKMS apart:

  • Fastest access to mediation in the UK

    We can often get you in for a MIAM within 24 hours, with no extra charge for same-day or shuttle appointments.

  • Genuinely transparent pricing

    Our rates are fixed and clearly stated – no hidden fees, and no extra charge for court forms or Child Arrangements documents. We’ll also help you access the government’s £500 Family Mediation Voucher if you’re eligible.

  • Support throughout the process

    Whether you need support with one part of the process or the whole journey via our Agreed service, we’ll help you navigate the next steps – no referrals, no handoffs.

  • Fully qualified and accredited

    All UKMS mediators are accredited by the Family Mediation Council (FMC), the professional body that sets and monitors standards for family mediation across the UK.

  • Nationwide reach, personal service

    UKMS covers England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. You’re not dealing with a call centre; you’re working with a dedicated team who knows your situation.

Our clients say

I highly recommend Derek and his team. They were all extremely helpful and talked me through everything step by step so I felt comfortable. Derek got back to me quickly and made the whole process a lot easier than expected. Thank you!

H. Plummer

Very honest, caring and experience mediation service always ready to listen to your needs and help by counselling and leading you to best choice of decision after mediation. Thank you Mr Derek and team.

K. Asare

I highly recommend The UK Mediation Service, Derek was very understanding throughout the entire process and was always there to help answer any queries. He made the entire process very seamless and stress-free.

P. Gajanan

Derek handled my case, and I cannot speak more highly of him. Was able to diffuse extremely frustrating situations during the mediation session and was a true professional throughout.

T. Adesanya

Frequently Asked Questions

A MIAM (Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting) is a short, confidential one-to-one meeting with a qualified family mediator. It’s a legal requirement that anyone with a family dispute attends a MIAM before making an application to the family court. This rule has been in place since 2014 to encourage families to resolve issues faster, with less conflict, and at a lower cost than going to court.

You’ll need a MIAM in almost all cases, whether you want to explore mediation or go straight to court. Your mediator will take the time to understand your situation, explain the law and your rights, and help you work out the best way forward. If mediation isn’t suitable, they’ll sign the required court form at the end of the meeting so you can apply to court.

No, attending a MIAM doesn’t commit you to mediation. It’s simply a required first step that gives you the space to understand your options before making a decision. If you decide mediation isn’t for you, or if your mediator assesses that it isn’t suitable for your situation, they’ll confirm this and sign your court form so you can move forward. If you do want to proceed with mediation, your mediator will share the process and what comes next.

In almost all cases, yes – and this has been a legal requirement since 2014. Before making a family court application, you’ll need to have attended a MIAM, with very few exceptions. If you’re unsure whether an exemption applies to your situation, you can contact us for a free 15-minute consultation.

A MIAM typically lasts around 45 to 60 minutes. It’s an individual session and the time is used to go through your situation in detail, explain the law and your options, and assess whether mediation is the right route for you. At UKMS, we can often get you in for a MIAM within 24 hours.

Our MIAM fee is £109 for one session. Your court form is included at no additional charge. Since a MIAM is always conducted individually, we’ll also contact your ex-partner to invite them for their own MIAM session.

That depends on your situation, and a MIAM is the best place to work that out. Your mediator will give you an honest assessment of which route is likely to work best for you. Where both parties are willing to engage, mediation is almost always faster, less expensive, and less stressful than court – around 80% of UKMS clients who go into mediation avoid court altogether. Most clients reach a Memorandum of Understanding which is formalised into a legally binding consent order through the courts. Take a look at our Agreed service to see the full process.

Each party attends their own individual MIAM – so the other person’s willingness to engage doesn’t affect your ability to attend your MIAM. Your mediator can confirm that mediation wasn’t possible, sign your court form, and you can move forward with your court application. Our Direct to Court package is designed to support you through that process.

Ready to talk?

If you’ve been told you need a MIAM or want to understand your options – our team is here to help. We can usually arrange your MIAM within 24 hours.

We offer a free 15-minute consultation if you’d like to talk things through first.

Talk to us now

Home   /   MIAM

We track how people interact with our online web content and resources, and some of that tracking involves storing cookies on your device. By continuing to use our site you accept that you agree to this. For more details see our Privacy Statement.

Ok