January has become unofficially known as the ‘divorce month’ among family lawyers, with a repeated trend of a surge in divorce enquiries both within law firms and on the internet at this time of the year.
The rise in January divorce enquiries has often been attributed to financial pressure and family tensions over the Christmas period. Family lawyers also blame mounting stress over the holiday period and the desire for a fresh start in the new year as contributing factors. Additionally, it is thought that some people may delay divorce enquiries until after Christmas so as not to disrupt the holiday period for children and other family.
Research conducted by Richard Nelson solicitors has shown that internet searches for ‘I want a divorce’ rose by 230% in the first week of January 2020 compared to December 2019. Relationship charity Relate also notes a peak in calls at this time of the year – last January, there was a 24% increase in calls to their helpline compared to the average month.
Unreasonable behaviour is the most common ground for divorce, and 45-49 is the most common age bracket of divorcing couples.
Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the overall divorce rate for heterosexual couples in 2018 fell considerably to 90,871, compared to 101,669 in 2017. Experts say this could be due to fewer people getting married, with many people waiting until later in life and/or cohabiting before marriage.
Get expert legal advice for your divorce
Going through a divorce is never easy, but if you are looking to initiate divorce proceedings, Hattons Solicitors can help you through it. Our Family Law team have extensive experience of dealing with divorce in a professional and sensitive manner.
We can advise on all aspects of divorce. We can assist with mediation if this is worth exploring, and can otherwise assist you with issuing the divorce proceedings in order to obtain the outcome that is best for you and your circumstances.
To arrange an appointment to discuss divorce issues, call us on 01744 744440, or contact us from our website.
Posted on: 10/Jan/2020 Posted in: Family Law