I’m a divorce expert – this is the number one reason couples split up
Last year, divorce rates in the UK were expected to be around two in five marriages ending in divorce, with 27,908 applications made between January and March alone.
With Valentine's Day two weeks away, love is in the air and to ensure it stays that way, a divorce expert has shared the most common reason behind couples calling it quits.
New legislation came into place in 2022 allowing people to end their marriage jointly and no longer needing to place blame on either party, yet while the legal process was simplified, deciding to file for divorce is as agonising as ever.
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Following on from the changes in law in 2022, the Office for National Statistics showed that as a result there were 80,057 divorces granted in England and Wales that year, with an average length of 12.9 years of marriage.
James Brien, the founder of Easy Online Divorce and an author on amicable splits, said that money and finances are the leading cause of problems in relationships.
The relationship expert revealed that if couples simply had a conversation before walking down the aisle, they could take their marriage.
He advises that couples should agree on their approach to money and finances before they tie the knot.
Brien said: “I would say almost half of couples who divorce do so over money, whether it’s different ideas or attitudes about finances or pressures due to the cost of living. The way we think and feel about money is shaped by a complex interplay of factors such as our upbringing, our past experiences, cultural influences, and personal beliefs.”
When first entering a relationship, it can feel uncomfortable and unromantic to discuss money with your new partner, but without addressing these things, Brien believes “it can become a big problem down the line.”
The divorce expert explained: “Disagreements over money early on, such as one person making extravagant purchases while the other preferring to save for a rainy day, can start small in the early days.
"But over time it can become bigger and bigger, especially with more households feeling the pinch. It’s then we see things like overspending, debt, and secrecy surrounding money.”
A more modern approach to this common problem is couples signing a prenuptial agreement before their special day. These are formal legal agreements signed prior to a marriage allowing couples to agree on a division of their assets if the marriage were to end in divorce.
According to the Marriage Foundation, in 2021, 21% of married people in the UK had a prenuptial agreement. It appears the tides are turning, as business data from Co-op Legal Services in 2023 also showed that the number of clients requesting a prenup has more than doubled within a year.
Whether it's a legal agreement or just a frank conversation, opening up about your feelings towards money could be the thing to save the future of your relationship.
