£80M Divorce Ruling: Supreme Court Sets a New Precedent

The UK Supreme Court has confirmed that the sharing principle doesn’t automatically apply to non-matrimonial property—even when huge sums are transferred between spouses. In Standish v Standish [2025] UKSC 26, the Court clarified that assets transferred for tax planning purposes—such as the £80 million transferred in this case—remain non-matrimonial unless there is clear evidence the couple treated them as shared over time.

Key points:

• Title to the property isn’t what matters—the source and intent do.

• Property acquired before the marriage, or via inheritance/gift, can still be protected if kept separate.

• The concept of “matrimonialisation” hinges on whether couples treat the asset as shared—not just how it’s titled.

Curious to see the full Supreme Court judgment? Tap the link to explore the details: Read more