Financial Affidavit Short Form Template for England and Wales

A short-form financial affidavit is a condensed sworn statement of a party's financial position, used in family proceedings where a full Form E is either not yet required or would be disproportionate to the application. It is commonly used for interim maintenance hearings, urgent injunction applications, or straightforward consent order applications in England and Wales.

A short form is appropriate for interim financial hearings, first appointments where the court only needs a summary of means, legal aid financial assessments, and uncontested applications where the parties have already agreed a financial settlement. For a full contested financial remedy hearing, courts expect complete Form E disclosure rather than a shortened version.

Yes. Even in its abbreviated form, it is an affidavit and must be sworn or affirmed before a solicitor, commissioner for oaths, or court officer. The jurat must record the authorised person's details, and the deponent must sign in their presence. A false statement in a short affidavit is perjury under the Perjury Act 1911, just as in a longer document.

At minimum, a short-form affidavit should state the party's current gross and net income, the approximate value of any property, the outstanding mortgage balance, a summary of savings and investments, any significant debts, and the party's reasonable monthly outgoings. The level of detail required will depend on the hearing for which it is being prepared.

Yes. If the information in the short-form affidavit becomes materially out of date before the relevant hearing, the party should file a supplemental statement. The duty of full and frank disclosure in Family Court proceedings requires parties to correct inaccuracies promptly. An outdated affidavit that misleads the court can lead to an adverse costs order.

Under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, a legally aided party must demonstrate ongoing financial eligibility. The Legal Aid Agency may ask for a short financial statement rather than a full Form E to reassess eligibility at key stages. The party must ensure the statement accurately reflects their means to avoid losing public funding.

No. A court order to file a financial affidavit or statement is mandatory. Failure to comply without good reason is contempt of court, which can result in a fine or imprisonment. If a party is unable to provide certain information (for example, because accounts are not yet available), they should explain the reason to the court rather than simply ignoring the order.

Yes. In Schedule 1 Children Act 1989 applications for financial provision from a parent, courts often accept a shorter financial statement at the first directions hearing. This helps the court understand the general level of means without requiring a full Form E at an early stage. If the case is contested, the court will typically order full financial disclosure before the substantive hearing.