Northern Eire noticed a dramatic enhance in divorces final yr – with 2,040 granted in comparison with 1,507 in 2020, in keeping with official figures.
Despite final yr’s rise, the general development because the peak of 2,913 in 2007 is downwards, in keeping with the statistics from the Northern Eire Statistics and Analysis Company.
Simply earlier than the pandemic in 2019, there have been 2,357 divorces granted — 30% fewer than in 2007.
It has been urged by some that the spike in divorces on the peak of the pandemic took place as couples had been pressured into lockdown collectively for prolonged intervals.
Stevie Maginn, communications and engagement supervisor at Relate NI, urged there are a variety of things behind the downward development in divorces in Northern Eire.
These embody couples selecting to not marry, as a substitute focusing their efforts on relationship high quality and wellbeing.
“A wider level at play right here is that Northern Eire maintains an archaic, drawn-out divorce system which fuels pointless animosity and blame and does nothing to encourage amicable relationship ending and constructive co-parenting relationships the place youngsters are concerned, which we all know is integral to youngsters’s life possibilities,” he mentioned.
“Relate NI have been lobbying for the introduction of ‘No Fault Divorce’ laws, which England and Wales launched in April 2022.”
Household Regulation senior affiliate at Wilson Nesbitt solicitors, Ciara Barlow, has added that this “blame sport” strategy in Northern Eire has made it tougher for couples right here to come back to a decision right here when ending their relationships than in the remainder of the UK, the place ‘no fault divorces’ assist create extra amicable separations.
She added that components such because the coronavirus pandemic and the post-lockdown mini housing growth did, nonetheless, play an element in a rise in queries all through 2021.
“Because the housing market skilled a post-lockdown mini growth, couples felt assured they might promote their property after which half their methods,” she mentioned.
“That is opposite to the 2007-8 housing bubble place the place events had been left dwelling collectively primarily due to the damaging fairness place on their property,” she added.
“These events who couldn't work via their issues noticed a chance to maybe start the authorized strategy of divorce and resolve the funds while the property market remained buoyant,” she added.
“Whereas the most recent development could indicate a rise on earlier figures, it's completely possible this displays these circumstances backed-up on account of the coronavirus pandemic.”