29/09/2022

Joint divorce applications have been possible since the divorce laws changed in April 2022, however, according to government figures, take-up has been surprisingly low so far.

Out of 49,344 divorce applications made under the new law between April and July 2022, only 10,290 have been joint divorce applications, compared to 39,054 sole applications.

It was hoped that the introduction of joint applications might encourage couples to avoid finger-pointing and acrimony by allowing them to apply for divorce together, stating that their marriage has irretrievably broken down.

It is possible that liaising with your ex-spouse to make a joint application is not as straightforward as it sounds and that if one party is more motivated than the other to separate then it is likely to be they who take it upon themselves to submit a sole application.

There is perhaps also still an expectation that one party should divorce the other and the possibility of approaching the process jointly is not yet widely known or understood.

The changes to the divorce laws that were introduced in April 2022 signalled the introduction of so-called ‘no fault divorce’ with couples no longer needing to assign blame for the breakdown of their marriage. The aim was to allow for a less acrimonious divorce process benefiting couples and their children.

Financial matters and child arrangements, however, still require careful, expert negotiation and agreement, but the legal process of ending a marriage can now be done by sole or joint applications without the need to point the finger of blame.

For advice about any family law matter, please contact our Stoke-on-Trent solicitors on 10782 205000 or our Altrincham solicitors on 0161 929 8446. Alternatively, you can email enquiry@beswicks.com.

We offer two types of initial family appointment: a standard fixed fee consultation charged at £150+vat for one hour, or a detailed Beswicks Overview appointment costing £250+vat. The Overview appointment includes a written summary of the advice given and options available to resolve your family matter.