Divorce rate drops by 4.5%

Recently published Office for National Statistics divorce rate figures reveal a 4.5% decrease in the number of divorces completed in 2020 compared with 2019.

Statistics show that in 2020, there were 103,592 divorces granted in England and Wales, a decrease of 4.5% compared with 2019. Of these divorces the vast majority were among opposite-sex couples (98.9%).

There were 1,154 divorces among same-sex couples in 2020, increasing by 40.4% from 2019. The majority of same-sex divorces continued to be accounted for by female same-sex divorces (71.3%).

Unreasonable behaviour was the most common reason for wives petitioning for divorce among opposite-sex couples in 2020, accounting for 47.4% of petitions, and for husbands, the most common reason for divorces was a two-year separation, accounting for 34.7% of divorces followed by 33.8% for unreasonable behaviour.

For same-sex divorces, unreasonable behaviour was the most common reason for divorce in 2020 for both female and male couples, accounting for 55.2% of female divorces and 57.0% of male divorces.

The average duration of marriage at the time of divorce in 2020 was 11.9 years for opposite-sex couples, which is a decrease from 12.4 years in 2019. For same-sex divorces in 2020, the average duration of marriage at the time of divorce was 4.7 years for female couples and 5.4 years for male couples. However, divorces among same-sex couples have only been possible since 2015 following the introduction of same-sex marriages in March 2014.

In its reporting, the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has issued a caveat to the published figures, stating that the covid-19 pandemic may have impacted the number and timeliness of completed divorces in 2020 due to temporary suspension of operations by some courts. This, the MOJ says, makes it difficult to know the extent of the impact, and correctly interpret figures.

Rachel Freeman, family law partner at Kingsley Napley said:

“This notable drop in the divorce rate shows that lockdown may have enabled couples to work on their relationship and find an alternative solution, or to postpone any decision to divorce during the uncertainty of the pandemic.

There was also a period where some of the family courts could not continue as usual which is almost definitely reflected in the statistics. The other possibility is that some couples have been waiting for the no-fault divorce regime which kicks in this April. Certainly we have been receiving a lot of enquiries since the start of the new year suggesting there is pent-up demand and the divorce rate will spring back for 2022.”