Will 2023 Be A Record Year For Divorce?

It’s been predicted that there will be an influx of new divorce applications this January. There is often a post-Christmas spike in divorces in January, but this year, it’s anticipated there may be even more demand. But why is this?

One reason could be No Fault Divorce. Last April, divorce laws were changed, with the old, fault-based system being replaced with a long-awaited ‘No Fault’ process. This means that the divorce process is now more straight forward, and there’s no need for one party to blame the other for the breakdown of the marriage. One or both parties simply need to state that the marriage has broken down irretrievably – there’s no need to go into detail as to why.

This has been seen as a really positive change and has been welcomed by the family law community. It has undoubtedly helped to reduce the acrimony, which was previously in-built within the process, alleviating at least in part, some of the stress experienced by families.

After the new law was introduced, more people decided to apply to get divorced, as many couples had put their divorce plans on hold while they waited for the law to change. An online portal has also made the process more straight forward, making it more accessible and straightforward than the paper-based system.

The cost-of-living crisis is also looming large at the moment, with couples and families under a great deal of financial strain and will undoubtedly be putting couples under pressure. It’s thought that this could lead to more relationships breaking under the strain and choosing to start divorce proceedings in 2023.

With families and the family courts under increasing strain, it’s more important than ever for separating couples to consider alternatives options for resolving their disputes. If you’d like to learn more about how we can support you, please visit our family mediation webpage or contact us on 0370 1500 100.