Migrants using ‘post-nups’ to avoid Britain’s divorce courts

FOREIGN millionaires are making use of post-nuptial agreements to protect themselves from Britain’s divorce courts, lawyers claim.

An increasing number of wealthy men are using the contracts, which are not legally binding but can be recognised by British courts, to protect themselves after moving to the UK.

The agreements were relatively obscure a decade ago but have increased in popularity as they become more accepted in the British legal system.

Lake Legal, a law firm in Leeds, said it had seen its post-nuptial cases increase from 18 to 27 in the past two years.

London is often described as the “divorce capital of the world” as British laws are seen as more generous to the less wealthy spouse, usually the wife, than those of other countries.

Rosie Schumm, of law firm Forsters, said lawyers recommend them to wealthy men who are already married as part of a package of services.

“In one case I dealt with recently, the parties had moved to this country and given the complexity of their financial situation and the potential for claims by the wife, they started to look at getting a post-nup,” she said.

Zoe Bloom of Keystone Law said lawyers were increasingly likely to recommend the agreements.

“They are being advised to enter them because the courts allow them. They increasingly think that people should be treated as grown-ups and if they have signed a document they should be bound by it,” she said.