In the world of Family Law, it is often suggested that there is an apparent increase in divorce enquiries and applications in January, specifically on the first working Monday of the month referred to as ‘divorce day’. Is it a myth or is January the month for divorce?
Whilst it’s said January is the busiest month for divorce, the evidence does not necessarily support this as being true. Statistics published by the Ministry of Justice indicate that there is something of a spike in divorce applications issued between January to March, but also demonstrates that the figures fluctuate throughout the year. Whilst this doesn’t point specifically towards January, it perhaps suggests that the beginning of the year may serve as a catalyst for people to decide to make changes in their personal lives.
Some suggest the stress associated with the festive period can show the cracks in a marriage which may see people making enquiries as to their options though equally, rather than being a catalyst for divorce, the festive period can be an opportunity for re-assessment of relationships. Couples may find themselves contemplating their future together, but this doesn’t automatically lead to an increase in divorces. With this in mind, Relationship support organisation Relate also often report an increase in enquiries and traffic to their website in January.
It could, however, be that where there are increased enquiries or divorce applications made in January, a couple may have already made the decision that the relationship has broken down, but a decision has been made to put off acting upon it until after the Christmas period.
Our view is that whilst in the press there’s a lot of hype given to January as ‘Divorce Month’ and whilst the new year can be a catalyst for some people looking to divorce, the priority should be on seeking advice first and planning for any separation and divorce carefully, whenever this may be.
Divorce is a significant life decision that involves careful consideration and thereafter the relevant legal steps. It is a rare circumstance for couples to spontaneously decide to divorce in January without earlier consideration or preparation.
The primary advice we can give to separating couples is to speak to a family law specialist for initial advice before making any decisions so the options available can be fully understood. In that way, you’ll hopefully be able to move forward in a way that’s pragmatic and based on your particular circumstances.
If you wanting to know more about your options and are looking for advice regarding separation or divorce, please contact our Family Law Team by calling 01244 354835 or email Helen Davies at helen.davies@dtmlegal.com . If you have other concerns relating to family law, visit our Family Law page for more information on our services.
