March is the most popular month for divorce, shows new research from TWM Solicitors with 10,170 divorces filed in March last year alone – dispelling the myth that January is the most popular month for divorce.
March has consistently been the most popular month for couples to file for divorce. On average, 11,730 divorces have been filed each March over the last 20 years.
January actually averages the second lowest number of divorces, with an average of 9,880 filed each January, below the average per month of 10,494. January had long been assumed to be the most common month for divorce, with the idea that spouses clash over the Christmas period and then file for divorce in early January.
TWM says it is true that many people consider divorce following the holiday period. However, the process of seeking proper legal advice, considering all the options, including whether to go through with the divorce, and then making that important decision, takes time. This means that more divorce applications end up being filed during the spring. Caroline Keeley, Partner and Head of Family Law at TWM Solicitors, said:
“It is a myth that families row over Christmas and make a snap decision to divorce in the new year. Family lawyers often begin discussions with clients in early January, or even several months earlier in the preceding year, but a final decision on whether to pursue a divorce is rarely spontaneous.”
January 2 has long been talked about as ‘Divorce Day’, but this isn’t the case. In fact, this old saw actually discourages couples from filing for divorce in January. They don’t want to be that ‘stereotypical’ couple that argues over Christmas and rushes to divorce in the new year.”
TWM’s figures show that December is the least popular month to divorce, with only 5,920 filings in December 2023. This compares to a 20-year average of 7,890 divorces filed in December. October, on average, is the fourth most popular month for divorce, with a 20-year average of 10,980 divorces taking place.
2022 represents an outlier, where April was the most popular month to file divorces, with 12,319 filed. However, this was likely due to the introduction of ‘no fault divorce’ legislation on April 6th of that year.
