Why Couples Really Divorce: Top 10 Reasons For Divorce (UK)
A survey of 5,000 clients who filed for divorce using the UK's largest divorce filing service, Divorce-Online, reveals the top 10 reasons for divorce in the UK.
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In order to get a divorce, you must show the court that your marriage has irretrievably broken down (the reasons for divorce) by making a statement of irretrievable breakdown.
Until recently, you had to cite one of five available grounds for divorce, which in most cases involved blaming your ex-partner.
Since 6 April 2022, you can now file a no-fault divorce application without blaming your partner for the marriage breakdown.
We surveyed 5,000 clients to find the most common reasons couples divorced in the UK.
The Top 10 Reasons For Divorce In 2024
Marriages end for a variety of reasons. There’s not a single answer to why people get divorced.
Here’s a breakdown of the 10 most common reasons why people got divorced in England and Wales; (in no particular order)
- Couples stopped loving each other
- A spouse being bad with money
- The other party having personal problems
- Lack of love and affection
- Lack of sexual intercourse
- Lack of communication
- Addictions
- Abuse
- Money issues
- Cheating / Adultery
1. Couples just stopped loving each other
Couples simply falling out of love with each other is by far the biggest reason for people getting a divorce in the UK.
As no one is at fault for this, these divorces fall under the 2 year or more separation by consent ground, which is the most commonly used ground for divorce on our online divorce platform.
2. The other party being bad with money
The second biggest reason for divorce is that the other person is rubbish with money and or general finances.
This is a fault-based divorce and the type of divorce was an unreasonable behaviour divorce.
As we are an uncontested divorce service, most cases went through with the consent of the other party.
The Petitioner would need to give at least 5 examples of the kind of behaviour that they were complaining of, in order for the court to approve this type of divorce.
Examples of financial ineptitude were, racking up credit card bills, gambling, hiding money, buying expensive items that they could not afford and many many more.
3. The other party having personal problems
The third biggest reason for divorce is a more general category that included such things as mental health issues, trust issues, problems with family and once again this is a fault-based divorce scenario and would come in under the unreasonable behaviour category.
4. Lack of love and affection
Number four in the list has a common theme with many petitioners complaining that their soon-to-be-ex (STBX) was not giving them enough attention.
Many complained that their soon-to-be ex would prefer to hang out with their mates, go drinking a lot and carry on as though the marriage thing had not really happened.
5. Lack of sexual intercourse
Number 5 speaks for itself and unsurprisingly the male members of our survey brought this up on considerably more occasions than women, propelling the lack of sex to number 5.
6. Lack of communication
Communication is essential to sustaining any good relationship. If communication ceases or becomes disjointed then it can cause many problems within a marriage.
Having open and honest communication allows you to discuss any issues you have personally or about the marriage.
It also enables you to talk over any disagrees. These could be because of children’s issues, money issues or any other common areas of disagreement such as help around the house.
When communication breaks down it often leads to problems that can spiral quickly.
In some cases, you can regain communication and enjoy a happy relationship, but most the time once it breaks down it doesn’t return to a level that sustains a relationship.
7. Addictions
Sadly, addictions causing the breakdown of marriages have become more common.
Our research has shown that 1 in 4 behaviour based divorce petitions mentioned alcohol, which is a worrying statistic.
There are many types of addictions such as;
- Alcohol
- Drugs
- Gaming
- Gambling
These, of course, are not the only types of addiction, but they are the most common ones mentioned in divorce petitions we handle.
Addictions of any kind can cause pressures and tensions within a relationship so it’s not a surprise to us to see addictions as one of the most common reasons for couples getting divorced.
8. Abuse
Abuse comes in many forms, it’s not just the physical abuse that people sustain when married.
Other types of abuse include emotional abuse, psychological abuse, and financial abuse etc.
Domestic abuse and emotional abuse are the most common types of abuse we see on divorce petitions from our clients.
It goes without saying that when any type of abuse occurs within a marriage, it’s a valid reason to want to divorce.
Many people endure abuse for too long in the hope that the other person will change or out of fear.
9. Money Issues
Money can be a sticking point for many married couples.
Is one person financially reckless? Is one person paying for the majority of things? Does one person have debts and continues to overspend?
Money issues often boil over and cause disagreements and resentment, which both cause marriages to breakdown.
10. Infidelity (Cheating / Adultery)
Infidelity has been happening for hundreds of years so it’s nothing new, it just appears to be more common in modern life with the news, papers, and social media playing a bigger role in our daily lives than ever before.
The act of adultery continues to be one of the most common reasons for divorce.
In fact, adultery normally counts for 10% of all divorce applications filed in England and Wales.
The act of adultery can be enough to get divorced, but you must act within 6-months of finding out about the adultery taking place.
No-Fault Divorce Is Now Divorce Law – The divorce law in England and Wales has changed to give way to a no-fault divorce. This means you no longer need to wait for a period of 2 years of separation or blame one party for the breakdown of your marriage.
Speak to our friendly team on Live Chat for quick and reliable answers to your questions or call us on 01793 384 029 for no obligation information and advice on how no-fault divorce works.
How do I go about getting a divorce?
Regardless of your reason for wanting to divorce your partner, you must understand how the divorce procedure works.
Many couples assume that because they have been separated for several years, they can apply for a quick divorce online, which is, unfortunately, not true.
Whilst the divorce law changes in April 2022 have made it easier for couples to get divorced, there is no such thing as an automatic divorce.
Divorce doesn’t have to be expensive. The law doesn’t force you to appoint a solicitor. Thousands of couples get a divorce without a solicitor each year.
If you have never considered getting a divorce online, you should speak with our friendly team on 01793 384 029 to find out how we can save you thousands in legal fees compared to hiring local solicitors.
Find Out Which Service Is Ideal For You
There’s no need to spend thousands on getting a divorce, especially if the reasons for divorce are agreed upon. Use our simple and free online tool to find the most suitable service for your circumstances.