The ONS research shows that 111,169 couples in England and Wales made the decision to get divorced in 2014. This is just over 3% less than the previous year and a huge difference compared to just ten years ago. Over the course of a decade, the divorce rate has dropped to just 9.3 per thousand married people, encompassing both men and women. The statistics also show that even the marriages that ultimately do end up in divorce are lasting longer. In 2004, the average length of a marriage was 8.9 years. Ten years later in 2014, it was an impressive 11.7 years.

Commenting on these recent findings, former High Court family law judge and Marriage Foundation founder Sir Paul Coleridge told The Telegraph:

“It really is heartening news during the season of family goodwill that the number of intact families is not declining despite the generally held myth that divorce is simply set to get worse and worse.”

Why are divorce rates dropping?

Experts have suggested that a recently reported rise in co-habitation could be the reason behind the dip in divorce rates. What has been described as a ‘cohabitation revolution’ has seen more couples than ever before choosing to live together before getting married, if they marry at all. Following a steady transformation of social attitudes, the number of families headed by an unmarried couple who live together has risen by over 30% over the last decade. Living together can be a way of testing out the relationship before committing to marriage, which some relationship experts believe strengthens marriage and makes it less likely that a couple will divorce.

UK partnership law expert Katie Lowe explained to the Telegraph:

“Some might argue that cohabitation is almost a form of natural selection for marriage, preventing couples in fragile or troubled relationships from progressing to marriage and, quite possibly, to divorce.”

However, others believe that the fall in divorce rates could be down to something else entirely – financial worries. Some couples could be trapped in failing relationships because they believe that divorce is too complicated and ultimately expensive to achieve. Collette Bailey from Gardner Leader said:

“We did a study earlier this year on 2,000 divorced and married couples in England and Wales, and found that 18 per cent are co-existing to avoid the cost and stress of divorce.”

Divorce doesn’t need to be a nightmare, nor does it need to cost the earth. However, you do need an experienced solicitor on your side to guide you through the process smoothly and to ensure that your rights are protected. If you’re facing separation, make sure you have expert Liverpool solicitor Tracey Miller Family Law on your team.