Divorces fell by 4.5% during year that coronavirus hit, says ONS

The number of divorces fell during the year the coronavirus pandemic hit, figures show.

There were 103,592 divorces granted in England and Wales in 2020, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This is down 4.5% compared to the number granted in 2019.

The ONS said factors, such as family courts temporarily suspending operations, “may have affected the number and timeliness of completed divorces” but it is difficult to know to what extent.

The vast majority (102,438) of divorces granted in 2020 were among opposite-sex couples – down 4.7% from 2019.

Some 1,154 divorces were granted to same-sex couples – a 40.4% rise from the previous year.

For wives seeking divorce from their husbands, unreasonable behaviour was the most common reason (accounting for 47.4% of divorce petitions).

For husbands petitioning to divorce their wives, the most common reason was a two-year separation (34.7%) followed by unreasonable behaviour (33.8%).

Unreasonable behaviour was the most common reason for divorce among both male (57.0%) and female (55.2%) same-sex couples.