Energy and business group Octopus has dived into the legal services market by acquiring the alternative divorce business amicable.

Octopus Group announced it had bought a majority stake in the business which markets itself as an alternative to using solicitors.

Working alongside sister brands Octopus Money and Guardian Angel, amicable will use the acquisition to settle financial and administrative issues during a divorce as well as legal.

Octopus said its vision was to offer customers ‘deeper emotional and financial support through their biggest life events’ and that the new tie-up will help with ‘breaking down societal taboos around topics like money, bereavement and divorce, as well as creating a trusted space for people to get personalised help from an expert, at an affordable price’.

Amicable was founded in 2015 by Kate Daly and Pip Wilson following Daly’s divorce. It is marketed on the basis that couples can avoid the turmoil of divorce through a collaborative and tech-enabled process on a fixed fee basis rather than using lawyers.

The company was praised in a 2020 High Court judgment in which Mr Justice Mostyn said it had ‘greatly improved’ people’s access to justice following the withdrawal of legal aid for private family law proceedings. The judge ruled that amicable’s offering did not violate the Legal Services Act.

Ruth Handcock, chief executive at Octopus Money, said: ‘Our customers often come to us during big life moments that force them to take a look at their finances, like parenthood, buying a property, or divorce. In times like these, emotional and practical support need to go hand in hand.

'Amicable’s mission of helping couples navigate these moments in a more positive way, is the perfect marriage for Octopus’s ethos of challenging convention, and backing companies that are committed to making a difference. Together, we can provide the money and legal advice that customers need to help them navigate these moments more smoothly.’