Divorce lawyers: Unhappy couples stay together due to cost of living crisis
By The Guardian, September 24, 2026Couples are putting off divorce because of the cost of living crisis, lawyers have said, after figures showed the average length of a marriage ending in divorce in England and Wales reached a record high last year.
The Office of National Statistics (ONS) released figures on Wednesday showing that the average marriage ending in divorce in 2025 lasted for 13 years. This is the longest since records began in 1963 and up from a record low of 8.9 years in 1985.
Rebecca Aston‑Jones, a senior associate at Clarke Willmott, a top law firm that specialises in divorce, said the rising cost of living was keeping unhappy couples together.
“One of the main factors discouraging people from pursuing a divorce is the significant financial pressure that comes with establishing and maintaining two separate households,” she said.
Inflation, which is rising as a result of the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, has pushed up the cost of rent, mortgages and childcare. “Unsurprisingly, many people find the prospect of separation financially daunting,” Aston-Jones said.
The ONS figures show there are fewer divorces now than at their peak in the 1980s-2000s, when they reached 150,000 a year.
There were 105,002 divorces in England and Wales in 2025, made up of 102,879 opposite-sex couples and 2,123 same-sex couples. The latter figure was the highest since same-sex marriage was legalised in 2014. There were also 959 civil partnership dissolutions involving 270 opposite-sex couples and 689 same-sex couples.
The head of population life events at the ONS, Greg Ceely, said: “Divorce rates have remained stable over the past few years, but are lower than the peak levels in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. Our latest findings show that people who divorce or dissolve a partnership are staying in the relationship for longer before it ends.”
That marriages were lasting longer before failing was partly down to people waiting longer before they divorced, lawyers suggested.
“As a result, some couples remain in unhappy or hostile living environments, which can be detrimental to everyone involved,” Aston-Jones said. “We are increasingly seeing couples who have separated but continue to live under the same roof so they can retain the benefit of shared assets and continue to split household expenses.
“This arrangement can often exacerbate tensions and create a more volatile home environment. We are also witnessing a growing prevalence of financial abuse within relationships, which can prevent individuals from taking the step to end their marriage because they are concerned about their ability to manage financially on their own.”
Lisa Pepper, a partner and specialist divorce lawyer at Osbornes Law, said: “Divorce is now more accessible than it ever has been in the past 60 years yet these incredible figures show that couples are staying together for a record amount of time.”
She suggested that one “less romantic reason” for marriages lasting longer was likely to be that couples were unable to afford to divorce.
“Couples are more hesitant to get divorced and trying things like mediation or couples therapy before going for the nuclear option as the consequences are often perceived as worse than continuing with their marriage,” she said.
Aston-Jones said there were cheaper ways to get divorced and that seeking advice early could help.
“There are a number of effective alternatives that can help parties reach a resolution outside of court, including mediation and arbitration,” she said. “These methods often provide quicker, more cost-effective, and practical outcomes, enabling families to move forward more amicably, which is particularly beneficial where children are involved.”