Background
The couple married in 1978 and divorced in 1990. At the time of the divorce they had three children. The husband was a doctor and the wife was a teacher and nurse. The couple had joint matrimonial assets of £158,000, the wife had further assets of £162,000 and the husband had further assets of £242,000. The District Judge ordered that the husband pay maintenance to the children of £2,280 each per annum and maintenance to the wife of £5,700 per annum as well as capital of £180,000.

In this case the District Judge took into account the husband's future family inheritance and the NHS pension rights. The husband appealed and this was allowed. On appeal the Judge said that it was wrong to consider the inheritance and NHS pension rights and should only consider the duration of the marriage, not the pensions post-divorce value of retirement benefits.