‘Tis Almost The Season…. The ‘Divorce Season’
As what the press term the “divorce season” is almost upon us, I thought it might be interesting to share some recently published statistics about divorce….
– 42% of marriages now end in divorce
– The average length of marriage for opposite sex couples is 11.9 years
– The average age at the time of divorce for women is 43.9 years. For men it’s 46.4 years.
– Between January 2023 and March 2023 28,865 application for divorce were made. These were all on the “no fault basis”, as has to be the case now.
– Historically, unreasonable behaviour was the most common ground for divorce.
– Adultery was cited in 14% of cases.
– Legal fees are the most common cost incurred by couples, with 54% of couples choosing to instruct lawyers to help them navigate the legal system, in addition to the costs of setting up new homes and practical arrangements.
– The average cost for legal fees for the couple was £14,561.
Some of this information is now out of date but as clients still ask about divorcing on the grounds of adultery or unreasonable behaviour, it’s interesting to include the information about how things used to be before the Law changed and “no fault” divorce came in almost two years ago. That change has undoubtedly made the divorce process easier, although it does now take longer!
Divorce costs
The average case cost is likely to include dealing with children and / or financial matters too, given the amount quoted. Most solicitors now offer to deal with the divorce itself at a much more modest fixed fee, as it is usually a straightforward almost administrative process. The other costs incurred might be to help the couple reach an agreement about arrangements for their children and their money, and to record those in a legally binding way. Again, this can be achieved when couples can negotiate and reach agreements at a relatively sensible cost and providing certainty for the future. The figure quoted is likely to be increased by the contribution from those cases that do require the assistance of the Family Court where there are no agreements or the issues are so complicated that specialist help is needed.
Divorce Season – How we can help
For further details, please click any of the links for information on fixed fee divorce, separation & finance, pensions on divorce or finances for children. Alternatively, if you have any questions, please contact me or any of the private family law team on freephone 0800 011 6666 or via email at legal@timms-law.com.
Adrian Rose
December 2023