Divorce Rate Lowest For 26 Years – But Economic Factors May Have An Effect In The Future
Stress in relationships
01/9/2008
A leading family lawyer at Irwin Mitchell Solicitors says that although the divorce rate has fallen for a third consecutive year the economic climate is going to have an effect upon divorces.
The divorce rate in England and Wales fell for a third consecutive year, reaching its lowest level since 1981, according to new statistics on divorces in 2007 released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The divorce rate fell to 11.9 divorces per thousand married men and women compared with the 2006 figure of 12.2.
Martin Loxley, leading family lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: "I think in general people are being more cautious about marriage, for example the age that couples are entering into marriage is rising. This is leading to a drop in the divorce figures.
"Traditionally the summer period is quiet for divorces but this year the rate doesn’t seem to have dropped.
"One potential explanation is the extra stress in relationships brought about by the credit crunch and the current economic situation and I think we will see a pattern emerging whereby the divorce figures rise for the next couple of years.
"Also falling house values are leading to more couples finding themselves in negative equity which could force them to remain together as they see no way out and no way in which they could afford to separate. This is likely to add to stress within the relationship and they will find themselves torn between leaving an unhappy relationship and being tied to each other due to poor financial circumstances."
In 2007 over half of couples divorcing had at least one child aged under 16. In total there were 117,193 children aged below 16 who were in families where the parents divorced, 20 per cent of these children were aged below 5 years old, with 63 per cent being aged below 11.
Alison Fernandez, an expert in collaborative law at Irwin Mitchell, said: "With the number of children involved in divorces it is important to make the process of divorce as pleasant as it possibly can be so that the parents can move on and be civil for the sake of their children.
"We have seen an increase in collaborative law which is where couples wishing to divorce sign an agreement up front agreeing not to go to court. In our experience this is a much quicker and friendlier divorce and in people come out of the experience much happier and with a better situation to bring up their children."