There is a lot of publicity about how expensive weddings are, but when divorcing husbands and wives are at loggerheads with each other, legally separating could end up costing a fair bit too.
However, nowhere is more expensive to divorce your partner in the UK than Edinburgh, with solicitor quotes coming in at an average of £285 per hour here.
According to Lawhive, which conducted the research: “Edinburgh, the city of castles and kilts, might be a great place for a romantic getaway, but when it comes to divorce, the costs are as steep as Arthur’s Seat.”
It added: “It’s clear that breaking up is hard to do – and expensive – in Scotland’s capital.”
London and Leicester came in joint second position. The average rate of a solicitor was £280 per hour in these cities.
Slough and Reading made up the top five, with typical fees being £276.33 and £273.33 per hour respectively.
On the other hand, the cheapest place to separate from your partner is Sunderland in the north-east where solicitors cost just £195 per hour.
This was followed by Luton (£208.33) and Swansea (£210). Aberdeen came in fourth place, with bills typically being £211.67 per hour, while they were £212 per hour in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
This could encourage divorcing couples to consider finding a solicitor outside of their area, as prices vary dramatically.
As technology has advanced so much recently, and everyone has become accustomed to using video calls instead of face-to-face meetings, it is now easier to use an out-of-town solicitor than ever before.
“Knowing the cost differences across cities could significantly reduce the financial burden of a tough life event like divorce,” the comparison site stated.
For instance, couples in Edinburgh requiring 15 hours of solicitor work to navigate their divorce can expect to pay £4,275.
However, swapping to a lawyer from fellow Scottish city Aberdeen would see bills dropping to £3,175.05, which is a saving of £1,099.05.
Despite the cost implications of divorcing a spouse, it is a choice many people make. In fact, 113,505 divorces were granted in 2021, which are the highest figures since 2014.
One of the main reasons for couples separating is the perception that men do not do as much as women when it comes to parenting, despite many mothers continuing to work.
A TikTok post featuring divorce expert Dennis R Vetrana recently went viral, as the video saw him saying “women are tired” of doing the household chores, childcare, and having to work as well.
In fact, three-quarters of mums with dependent children in the UK worked in 2021, and both parents tend to work full-time these days, which should mean an even division of parental and household duties.
However, many women still feel they do the lion’s share of the latter, breeding frustration and resentment in their relationship.
This is a familiar story for many couples we see at our family solicitors in Epsom.
