Cost of living crisis forcing estranged couples to stay together

The cost of living crisis has resulted in many couples becoming detached, however, due to financial constraints many couples cannot afford to get divorced or separated.

Due to debt and stresses from affording essentials it is reported many couples are becoming distanced from each other, but the costs of getting divorced are too high to separate, according to new research.

On average a divorce in the UK costs around £14,561 in legal fees which is reportedly too expensive for some couples to afford. As well as this, research from Stowe Family Law suggests more than a quarter of people are not separating due to concerns over the cost of living crisis. Niamh McCarthy, a partner at Stowe Family Law, said:

“While we are certainly seeing an increase in enquiries for divorce, July 2022 was our highest ever month on record for enquiries at Stowe Family Law, time will tell if these couples decide to separate.

I have spoken to people making an enquiry about divorce recently, who are considering putting it off due to worries about whether they can afford to divorce and live solo in the future.

Many clients are also expressing concerns about maintaining the family home – which is often the main asset of a marriage.

But with rising utility bills and interest rates, people are having to ask difficult questions about whether they can realistically afford to stay there in the future and consider the tough decision to sell.”

The research also showed that financial difficulties were the biggest factor for couples separating. These include “not enough money coming in”, “not enough money to pay the bills” and disagreements over what to spend money on were commonly cited reasons for separation in the study.

There are greater concerns over the consequences of couples not being able to afford breaking up, such as the possibility of higher rates of domestic abuse.

A quarter of people in the study stated they are remaining in a relationship as they fear not being able to afford a place of their own. A spokesperson for Stowe Family Law stated:

“As couples feel forced to stay together under the same roof because they can’t afford to go their separate ways, tensions rise and the likelihood of abuse becomes much higher.”

This has been reflected in a growing rate of domestic abuse, as shown by the latest CPS figures for domestic abuse. It remains to be scene whether this is a direct result of couples not being able to afford a divorce.