The number of people in same-sex relationships who are looking for a divorce solicitor in Surrey is likely to have risen substantially recently, after it was revealed that legal separations among this group of people in England and Wales tripled between 2016 and 2017.
This is according to the latest divorce numbers released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) earlier this week, which reported 338 divorces of same-sex couples in 2017, compared with just 112 the year before.
This could be due to an increase in the number of people embarking on same-sex marriages year-on-year, since being legalised in England and Wales on March 29th 2014.
According to the data, 74 per cent of these divorces were for female relationships, and the most common reason cited for separating was unreasonable behaviour. This includes having a sexual relationship with someone of the same sex, as this is still not counted as adultery, according to the law.
A fifth of same-sex male relationships and 11 per cent of female couples divorced following separation for more than 24 months last year, which is higher than during previous years. This could be due to the fact that marriage is still a new institution for same-sex couples, and 2017 marked three years since it was legalised.
Conversely, divorce rates among heterosexual couples decreased last year, dropping to a rate of 8.4 divorces per 1,000 marriages, which is the lowest level since 1973.
However, those who did separate were typically in their 40s, the findings showed.
Investment company Royal London reminded all couples to protect their money, particularly at this age, with its head of business and development Clare Moffat saying: “This is a critical point in many people’s lives when it comes to financial planning and going through a divorce can have a massive impact on the amount you are able to save for retirement.”
