Divorce Rates Surge as New Year Brings ‘Divorce Week’ Boom
Divorce filings traditionally spike from January to March, with experts dubbing the first week of January “Divorce Week”. The ease of filing for divorce—now possible without stating a reason—is driving the surge as couples line up to end their marriages.
Pandemic and Recession Push More Brits to Call It Quits
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals the pandemic and economic downturn have taken a toll on marriages. In 2021, England and Wales saw 113,505 divorces, a sharp 9.6% jump from 103,592 in 2020.
- Family court delays due to COVID-19 impacted 2020’s numbers and timelines.
- The 2021 increase partly reflects those delays and pandemic pressures.
- Unreasonable behaviour topped divorce reasons for women, hitting 48.1% of cases.
- For men, ‘unreasonable behaviour’ and ‘two-year separation’ each made up 34.8% of filings.
History shows divorces spike during recessions. The 1990-91, 2008-09, and 2020 economic downturns all fuelled breakups — and now the cost-of-living crisis threatens to do the same.
Lockdowns Strain Marriages and Boost Online Divorce Services
Lockdowns, travel bans, and blurred work-life boundaries hammered marriages in 2020, pushing more couples to seek quick, affordable splits. Online firm Divorce-Online reports soaring demand.
“Although divorce is now easier, people need to be aware that the divorce itself is only the start and resolving finances is key to clean divorce,” said the company’s founders.
DIY ‘Kitchen Table Settlements’ on the Rise — But Watch Out!
Divorce-Online has also noted a spike in so-called ‘kitchen table settlements’—where couples ditch lawyers and agree financial terms themselves due to legal costs.
- Over 50% of 1,500 surveyed couples using the company’s financial consent order service hadn’t consulted a lawyer before filing.
- The site calls this a practical first step but warns many DIY deals lead to messy, lengthy disputes later.
With pressures mounting at home, Brits may find the easy way out tempting — but it’s only the beginning of a complex new chapter.
