Pandemic-Induced Divorce Boom Yet To Peak

With couples couped up in lockdown due to Covid-19, many law firms across the UK have reported an increase in divorce enquiries from spouses wanting to split from their partners. However, at Nelsons, we feel that while we have experienced continually high levels of enquiries since April 2020, our Family Law team hasn’t yet seen the spike everyone was foreseeing.

In our view, we’re still yet to experience the full impact a year of lockdown has had on people’s relationships. No one anticipated the pandemic would last as long as it has. Every time restrictions have eased, some sort of tightening of the rules followed. Once the Covid-19 restrictions are significantly eased, if they do happen in the summer as expected, we imagine we’ll experience a busy season – people will begin making longer-term decisions once more, which includes divorce.

Has the Covid-19 pandemic caused a spike in people filing for divorce?

While we haven’t seen the spike everyone was anticipating at the start of the pandemic – probably because of the second lockdown in January – we have seen different trends compared to a typical year.

For example, summer was busier than normal because restrictions eased. January is usually our busiest period but this year, while we still had enquiries, it wasn’t of the levels we typically expect to see. Schools closed and the country went back into a lockdown so there was a lot for people to deal with before taking action on any longer-term decisions they may have been thinking about before the Christmas period.

During the first, full lockdown back in March 2020, we were quieter, mostly because it was really difficult for people to find a private space to speak to a divorce lawyer while working from home with their spouse. We had clients calling us from supermarket car parks, or the end of the garden – having a conversation about divorce when there’s the possibility of being overheard in the other room made it difficult.

Have the reasons as to why people have been filing for divorce changed as a result of Covid-19?

There hasn’t been a massive shift, but we have had clients who said the initial lockdown made them realise what it would be like to be retired together and that spending that amount of time in close proximity was very difficult. Tensions ran high and people found themselves in the house all the time with their spouse, without the social release they could turn to beforehand.

How have divorce proceedings changed as a result of the pandemic?

From March 2020 through to the summer, there were huge delays, with some divorces taking 50 weeks at one stage. However, now everything has settled and more have access to the online system, the divorce process is much quicker. We have experienced divorces taking three to four months for the first time in many years where there are limited financial matters to be resolved or separating couples have reached an agreement.

Financial and children matters are mostly conducted remotely, either over the phone or via a video call; some are still carried out in person, particularly final hearings if evidence is required as the quality is better face to face. This is definitely more efficient and streamlined – you don’t have to travel to Court and whereas previously, there would be a block list of several hearings from 10am, now you’re given a time for your remote hearing.

With the negative impact Covid-19 has had on the economy, is now a good time to get divorced?

Many people may have found themselves in a financially less advantageous position as a result of the pandemic – they may have been placed on furlough, for example, or their businesses could have suffered. However, the Court is really mindful of people’s circumstances and the financial impact of the pandemic; every case is different and turns on its own individual facts, so it’s important to seek advice tailored to you.