According to formalwear hire company Young’s Hire, which obtained official divorce figures following a Freedom of Information request, the number of couples in Liverpool deciding to get divorced seems to have been influenced by the economic recession.

Looking at figures from the last 10 years, the number of Liverpudlian couples splitting up rose during the recession. The number of divorces was on a downward trend pre-2010, but started to rise as the economic recession hit – reaching a peak of 1476 divorces in 2012. After that, as the economy started to show signs of recovery, the figures started to rise again. Last year, in 2014, there were just 1340 divorces recorded in courts and the tribunal service in Liverpool.

Financial worries can strain relationships

In many ways, the suggestion that the fortunes of the UK economy and that of the UK’s married couples are closely linked makes a lot of sense. Problems with the country’s economy don’t just affect things like interest rates, banks and small businesses, but many other parts of everyday life. It can cause redundancy or problems finding work, as unemployment rates rise, and an increase in the cost of living, with pay failing to keep up, can squeeze household budgets to near breaking point.

All of these pressures can have a very negative effect on people’s relationships, piling on extra stress which can exacerbate existing problems within the marriage. Gail Thorne, a counsellor and supervisor at Relate Cheshire and Merseyside, explained to the Liverpool Echo how financial worries contribute to the decision to separate, saying:

“There was noticeable increase in couples coming to us during the recession in 2009-10 who were affected by redundancy, low income or long hours.

“It increases stress levels, making people less tolerant of their nearest and dearest. That was especially clear for couples where one partner worked 12-13 hour days and the other was looking after the kids.”

Now that the most pressing money worries have eased for some, but perhaps not all, families in Liverpool and across the country – divorce rates are expected to stabilise. However, it isn’t only financial stress that can cause couples to split, and issues such as communication problems, alcohol and drug addiction and infidelity are expected to return to the top of the list of reasons people decide to get divorced.

If you need advice or support on any aspect of the divorce process, especially related to the financial consequences of separation, Tracey Miller Family Law is perfectly positioned to help. Experienced Liverpool divorce lawyers, the team at Tracey Miller are experts in every aspect of divorce and take a friendly yet professional approach to each and every case.