Upcoming Events :
Housing Seminar: Partnerships with the Public Sector – Avoiding the pitfalls
Thu 31 May 2012
Minerva House, 5 Montague Close, London, SE1 9BB
Divorce rate goes up in England and Wales
Tue 13 Dec 2011
The number of divorces in England and Wales increased by 4.9 per cent in 2010, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
A total of 119,589 divorces were registered by the courts last year, compared with 113,949 in 2009.
According to the ONS, the divorce rate rose to 11.1 divorcing people per thousand of the married population in 2010, up from 10.5 people the previous year.
John Loughton, head of public policy at relationship charity Relate, claimed the rise in the divorce rate was "no surprise" in light of the current economic climate.
In response to the figures, he said the combination of growing unemployment and rising inflation has created a "pressure cooker" environment for many couples in the UK.
He also urged the government to ensure people with low incomes have access to relationship support at an early stage.
The ONS figures showed that the number of divorces was highest among men and women aged between 40 and 44.
Carol Ellinas, a partner at Winckworth Sherwood, commented: "If a relationship is not going well then if money problems are added to the mix it can make it impossible to continue in the relationship. Therefore it comes as no surprise to our legal team that there has been an increase in the number of divorces over the last year.
"As Family Law solicitors we are always sympathetic to clients' circumstances. We aim to give sensible, pragmatic advice so that the client understands where they stand and what they can expect to happen over the next few months. Sometimes we have to act immediately to prevent the dissipation of assets but usually we aim to reach an amicable negotiated settlement on behalf of our clients.
"Our legal team regularly refer clients to counsellors who can help them come to terms with the situation they find themselves in."
