While divorce rates in the UK are at their lowest rate in 45 years, people are still deciding to go their separate ways. The decision to divorce often takes months and even years of doubt and thought.
This is often triggered by the philosophy, “New year, new beginnings.”
Here are just a couple of reasons why we may see an increase in divorce filings in January:
Alcohol
According to the National Statistics Office, alcohol consumption increases by a massive 40% over the festive period. As we know, alcohol can affect people in different ways.
In some instances, this can lead to increases in arguments and unreasonable behavior. Incidents of domestic violence are the highest around the festive period, evident by the latest police statistics.
Experts have previously linked these stats to the increase of alcohol consumption over Christmas and New Year’s. Of course, this can lead to the ending of a marriage.
Howells frequently sees a mixture of this from both sexes with an increase of emotional abuse each year from women.
Christmas Party Affairs
The increase in Christmas office parties can often lead to brief office romances, most often fueled by alcohol. Unsurprisingly, this can also lead to divorce.
Financial Pressure
With December being the month with the highest expenses and with no extra funds coming in, there’s no surprise this is one of the most common reasons for divorce around the new year. Couples often have different budgets for buying presents, decorating the house etc. and it can lead to financial stress.
Spending Too Much Time Together
Couples are together a lot more over Christmas and New Year. This is mainly due to office shutdown periods and extra bank holidays.
People often use this as a time of reflection, coming to the realization they no longer want to be with their spouse. They find their spouse doesn’t make them happy, leading to the breakdown of a marriage.
Staying Together for the Children
Parents usually don’t want to ruin Christmas by announcing to their children they’re getting a divorce. Which is why they may have already reached a decision to divorce but decide to wait until the festivities are over.
Research undertaken by Howells showed that 29% of people admitted to staying in unhappy relationships for the sake of their children.
Overall
The most common time of year for divorce is around January, mainly due to the “new year, new beginnings” philosophy. The Office of National Statistics revealed one of the most common grounds for divorce is “unreasonable behavior” while adultery remains one of the tops.
If you’re unsure whether this is the next option for you, discover the most common reasons for divorce and discuss your options with a solicitor. Howells are on hand to offer help and advice – please call 0808 178 2773 to speak to one of their trained and professional divorce solicitors.
