Divorce Day – Why Do We See So Much Divorce In January?

The first working Monday of the year marks ‘Divorce Day’, a phrase dubbed by lawyers in light of the much higher divorce enquiries this day gets in comparison to any other.

The trend is matched by online searches, where according to data analysed by divorce support service Amicable, the term ‘divorce’ receives more than 40,500 services in January, which considering that there were 107,000 heterosexual divorces in 2016, is a substantial amount.

Why Do We Divorce More In January?

January is a dismal month, it’s a stark contrast to the extravagance of Christmas and New Year where overindulgence and hedonism are replaced with money strains of the holidays, the realities of going back to work and now there is nothing to distract us from underlying relationship problems which many feel have reached a point where they are just too deep to fix.

“Relationships which are already showing cracks are likely to buckle under the added pressure and expense that Christmas brings,” explains Slater and Gordon family lawyer Lorraine Harvey.

Additionally, many people want to start from scratch and turn over a new leaf in life without the distressing marriage. It’s time for a change and the first month of the year seems a fitting time to inquire about the process.

Most recent figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal that 107,000 heterosexual couples divorced in 2016. 

Source: ONS

Divorce rates are up for the first time since 2010, although historically this is still low. It’s a trend that’s fueled by the older age groups, as divorce rates in opposite-sex couples were highest by far for the over 50s.

Source: ONS

It’s affecting midlifers at a rate higher than ever before and with the average lifespan increasing it’s something that’s only going to continue.

Fifty is by no means the end of life. More and more of us are starting to realise this. We have a whole second part of life to live and we’re only at the midpoint. It’s the beginning of a new chapter and a volatile time of change where we make some of the biggest decisions of our life. 

What are your thoughts on Divorce Day? Let us know in the comments, we’d love to hear from you!

Join us for the latest pro age news, content, promotions & more!

2018-01-12T09:54:58+00:00

Share this story.

Go to Top