Divorce solicitors, Crisp & Co, take a look at the newly released ONS divorce statistics, breaking down the key data.
People say that 50% of marriages end in divorce, and many people believe divorce rates have increased in recent years. The question is, do UK divorce statistics actually reflect this?
Divorce statistics showed an increase in 2021. However, with divorce rates at their lowest since 1971 in 2022, it seems this is purely anomaly. In fact, average divorce rates appear to be continuing to fall year on year.
The infographic below contains a number of interesting divorce statistics regarding UK couples living in England and Wales. Please note, due to the introduction of No Fault Divorce in 2022, there is now no need to provide 'reasons’ for divorce:
How many marriages end in divorce?
The latest divorce statistics show that 80,057 couples divorced in 2022 compared to 113,505 couples in 2021. Interestingly, this was around a 30% decrease on the previous year. Of these, 78,759 were opposite sex couples and 1,298 were same sex couples - a decrease of around 17% compared to 2021 for same sex marriages.
Joint divorce statistics
As part of the new No-Fault Divorce laws that came into play in 2022, joint divorces were introduced, creating an avenue for divorcing with as little animosity as possible.
As such, the divorce statistics for 2022 reveal a new data point to consider, revealing the number of divorces that went ahead as a joint or sole application under the new law.
7,394 (9%) divorces in 2022 went ahead under this new law, 7,194 (3%) of which were opposite sex couples. 2,126 (29%) of these new law instances were joint applications, with the rest being sole.
How much does divorce cost?
Family breakdown is estimated to cost the taxpayer £51 billion per year. Factors that affect this figure include:
- The effects on health
- Extra housing support
- Legal aid
- Lost work hours
- Other factors
There are four main costs associated with getting divorced:
Court fees
Court fees will vary depending on how the divorce proceeds. The court fee for filing a divorce petition in England and Wales is currently £593.
You can ask the Court for Help with Court Fees if your financial circumstances meet certain criteria. The court can either waive the full court fee or part of it.
There are usually other court fees associated with getting divorced too. For example, if you need the court to make a Financial Order or you want to make a Consent Order to formalise a voluntary agreement about children or finances, you will have to pay.
Legal fees
You can achieve a divorce without incurring legal fees. If you do decide you need a solicitor to advise you, legal fees will include the cost of retaining a solicitor to advise you on the legal aspects of your divorce, as well as their fees (and potentially Counsel’s fees) for representing you in negotiations or in court.
Any financial settlement you must pay to your spouse
A financial settlement may require you to give money or other assets to your former spouse or pay ongoing maintenance. You can agree this settlement privately, by using alternative dispute resolution methods, with the assistance of your solicitors, or in court.
Any child maintenance you are required to pay
Any child maintenance you have to pay will depend on your income, the number of children you have, any benefits you receive (including income support, incapacity benefit or a state pension) and how many other children live in your household.
Who applies for divorce?
As per the new No-Fault Divorce Law, spouses can apply for a divorce jointly for the first time. It is also possible for either spouse to start the divorce process as a sole application.
Divorce statistics show that, in opposite-sex couples, 62% of divorce petitions are filed by the wife. Wives have been the primary instigators for divorce in opposite-sex relationships since 1949, although statistics show that this proportion has fallen gradually over time.
Are more people getting divorced?
Divorce rates appear to be falling and have been since before 2000. This could be due to societal changes and developments, for example, because couples are more likely to live together and have children before they get married.
Another possible reason for the decline in divorce rates is that many people are getting married when they are older, meaning they may be more mature and have more relationship experience.
Furthermore, divorce has become more socially acceptable since the mid to late 1900s.
Interestingly, previous divorce statistics indicated that there was an increase of around 16,000 divorces between 2018 and 2019, but this rise in divorce rates was thought to be down to divorce centres catching up on a backlog of divorces, rather than being an accurate reflection of the number of couples who were looking to get divorced.
That said, with the introduction of the No Fault Divorce law in April 2022, it is hard to predict how this will change the landscape in the long run. Although we originally thought that we may witness an increase in divorce applications as the process is now easier, and arguably less contentious, the 2022 stats reveal a completely opposite picture. We look forward to seeing how these law changes affect the stats a few years down the line.
How long are couples married before they get divorced?
In UK law, it is not possible to divorce during the first year of marriage. The most recent UK divorce statistics indicate that much fewer couples are divorcing soon after their first year of marriage compared to 2021. The rates in this instance show that 1,283 marriages ended between one and two years of marriage in 2021, whereas 405 marriages ended between one and two years of marriage in 2022 – a decrease of around 68%.
In comparison, there was a 20% increase between the years 2019 and 2020. We posit that this statistic could have been affected by the unusual and unprecedented circumstances brought on the by onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The fact that couples were forced to spend increased amounts of time together may have acted as a catalyst for couples who were not well suited to one another to find reasons to apply for divorce.
Come 2022, which the most recent statistics refer to, this situation is no longer applicable, which could account for the dramatic decrease since.
Speak to our expert divorce solicitors
Crisp & Co have many years of experience representing modern families in managing the end of their marriages and civil partnerships. We know how confusing, stressful, and emotionally-taxing divorce can be, as well as the concerns about children and finances that come with ending a relationship.
Our divorce solicitors can advise you on all aspects of getting divorced, helping you to separate from your former partner as quickly and cost-effectively as possible, while minimising the potential for conflict.
Our family law team contains a number of experts in mediation and collaborative law who can help you follow a non-confrontational approach to your divorce wherever possible. We aim to minimise the emotional fallout and the risks of lasting acrimony between you and your former spouse. This can be especially important where you have children who you will need to continue co-parenting together.
We’re leading experts in no-fault divorce, the new divorce law that allows couples to end their relationship without having to place any blame. This makes divorce much more cooperative and removes the risk of conflict.
Where court action is the best or only option to pursue your divorce, we have the expertise to put together the strongest possible case for you, ensuring you get a fair settlement.
To discuss your needs with one of our expert divorce solicitors, call us today on 0330 013 0381, or fill in our simple online enquiry form for a swift response.
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