{"id":3153,"date":"2025-09-26T17:44:40","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T16:44:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.no53legal.uk\/nws\/?p=3153"},"modified":"2025-09-26T18:00:28","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T17:00:28","slug":"prenuptial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.no53legal.uk\/nws\/archives\/3153","title":{"rendered":"Prenuptial"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Helliwell v Entwistle<\/em> [2025] EWCA Civ 1071<\/strong><\/h2><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Costs, Conduct, and the Collapse of a Prenup<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are often asked about prenuptial agreements, and whether or not they are binding on a couple. These things require careful consideration, and each party obtaining independent legal advice in order for it to be persuasive to a future judge in financial proceedings. This case is about just that scenario.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

On 7 August 2025, in the Court of Appeal, Mr Entwistle successfully challenged a Family Court decision that had upheld a pre-nuptial agreement despite serious non-disclosure by Ms Helliwell. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The case highlights the importance of transparency in financial agreements and the court\u2019s power to award indemnity costs in family proceedings.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Background<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The couple married in 2019, signing a \u201cdrop-hands\u201d prenup that excluded financial claims. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

However, Ms Helliwell failed to disclose over \u00a347 million of her assets, omitting nearly three quarters of her true wealth. Despite this, the Family Court upheld the agreement, awarding Mr Entwistle only modest support. He appealed, arguing that the non-disclosure invalidated the agreement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Court of Appeal<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The appeal was allowed. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Court found that Ms Helliwell\u2019s concealment of assets and obstruction of legal advice amounted to fraud and justified indemnity costs. Her reasons for hiding assets, privacy and tax concerns, were rejected. The Court also criticised her refusal to renegotiate the agreement based on Mr Entwistle\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Costs Award<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Court ordered:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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<\/path><\/svg><\/span>Indemnity costs of the appeal: \u00a3120,522<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/path><\/svg><\/span>Repayment of \u00a375,000 under the original costs order<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/path><\/svg><\/span>Indemnity costs up to 20 March 2025: \u00a3474,318<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Ms Helliwell accepted liability for appeal costs but sought standard assessment and delay pending a possible Supreme Court appeal. The Court refused, citing her conduct as exceptional.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Legal Significance<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

This case reinforces that:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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<\/path><\/svg><\/span>Full disclosure is essential for valid prenups<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/path><\/svg><\/span>Fraudulent conduct can lead to indemnity costs<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/path><\/svg><\/span>Courts will not tolerate obstruction of legal advice or refusal to engage with needs-based claims<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Takeaway<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Helliwell v Entwistle<\/em> is a reminder that honesty and transparency are critical in financial agreements. For lawyers and the public alike, it underscores the risks of concealment and the importance of proper legal advice.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

If you need advice on a prenup, we\u2019re here to help, contact us<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Helliwell v Entwistle [2025] EWCA Civ 1071 Costs, Conduct, and the Collapse of a Prenup We are often asked about prenuptial agreements, and whether or not they are binding on a couple. These things require careful consideration, and each party obtaining independent legal advice in order for it to be persuasive to a future judge […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"0","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"zakra_page_container_layout":"customizer","zakra_page_sidebar_layout":"customizer","zakra_remove_content_margin":false,"zakra_sidebar":"customizer","zakra_transparent_header":"customizer","zakra_logo":0,"zakra_main_header_style":"default","zakra_menu_item_color":"","zakra_menu_item_hover_color":"","zakra_menu_item_active_color":"","zakra_menu_active_style":"","zakra_page_header":true,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[174,176,178],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blogs","category-divorce-dissolution","category-finances"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"mailpoet_newsletter_max":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Lea_NSW","author_link":"https:\/\/www.no53legal.uk\/nws\/archives\/author\/admin"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Helliwell v Entwistle [2025] EWCA Civ 1071 Costs, Conduct, and the Collapse of a Prenup We are often asked about prenuptial agreements, and whether or not they are binding on a couple. These things require careful consideration, and each party obtaining independent legal advice in order for it to be persuasive to a future judge…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.no53legal.uk\/nws\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3153","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.no53legal.uk\/nws\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.no53legal.uk\/nws\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.no53legal.uk\/nws\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.no53legal.uk\/nws\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3153"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.no53legal.uk\/nws\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3153\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3161,"href":"https:\/\/www.no53legal.uk\/nws\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3153\/revisions\/3161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.no53legal.uk\/nws\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.no53legal.uk\/nws\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.no53legal.uk\/nws\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}