Divorce rates in England and Wales show slight increase

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released its divorce and civil partnership dissolution figures for 2025, revealing a slight upward trend. The total number of legal partnership dissolutions, which include divorces and civil partnerships, rose to 105,961 from 105,664 in 2024. Notably, these figures indicate that divorce rates have returned to levels seen prior to the pandemic, marking a stabilisation in family dynamics.

Breaking down the statistics, there were 102,879 divorces involving opposite-sex couples in 2025, a marginal increase of 0.01% compared to 2024. In contrast, same-sex divorces experienced a marked increase, up 12% from 1,896 in 2024 to 2,123 in 2025. While same-sex civil partnership dissolutions remained unchanged, there was a significant 26% increase in opposite-sex civil partnership dissolutions.

One of the most striking observations from the report is the median duration of marriages at the time of divorce, which is the longest on record. For opposite-sex couples, the duration was 13 years, surpassing the previous record of 12.9 years in 2022. Meanwhile, for same-sex couples, the median marriage duration reached 13.7 years for male couples and 13.6 years for female couples, reflecting a significant increase compared to their shorter averages in recent years.

Sital Fontenelle, Head of the Family & Divorce team at Kingsley Napley, shared insights on the implications of these figures. She commented, "The combined impact of the pandemic and the introduction of the new Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act in April 2022 is now easing off and divorce is once again returning to normal levels. The marked trend, however, continues to be that divorce rates are down from their peak in the 90s and the decline reflects falling marriage rates. In contrast, same-sex divorces are increasing." Fontenelle also noted that economic uncertainty is prompting couples to act decisively regarding their relationships and financial settlements.

The ONS statistics reveal significant shifts in societal attitudes towards marriage and partnership. There is a growing trend of cohabitation among younger couples, leading family lawyers to highlight the need for reform, particularly in cohabitation rights. Alex Davies, Partner at Wedlake Bell, emphasised that "the bigger story is that family life has changed dramatically in recent decades. Increasing numbers of couples now live together without marrying, yet the law has not kept pace."

Jo Edwards, Head of Family at Forsters, identified several factors that may explain why couples are remaining married for longer, including falling marriage rates, financial considerations and changing attitudes towards divorce.

“The marriage rate is decreasing. This suggests that those who do make the commitment, do so carefully (usually after a period of cohabitation) and are therefore more likely to stay the course for longer.

“Many of those who have taken time out of the workplace to raise children may also want to re-establish some earning capacity before starting divorce proceedings (especially as the courts are increasingly likely to expect someone in that position to exploit their earning capacity on divorce and work towards financial independence).

“It feels as though, more than ever, people are more financially savvy and think carefully about the financial picture before starting divorce proceedings. With the growth in the number of pre- and post-nuptial agreements in England, there is ever more financial openness between couples and they may decide to wait to divorce until the financial picture is more favourable. This is especially the case in times of economic uncertainty and it may well be that the post-pandemic/cost of living crisis factors are driving people waiting to divorce.”

As family structures evolve, legal protections and frameworks must adapt to safeguard the interests of individuals, regardless of their relationship status. Policy reforms surrounding cohabitation could provide necessary protections for couples who choose to live together without marrying.

Another legal expert, Alexander Breedon from Withers, remarked on the necessity of a clear legal structure that accommodates various family dynamics. He stated, "Importantly the government is also considering whether to provide some (though different) protections for those cohabiting couples who separate, and who are not represented in this morning's statistics."

Charmaine Hast from Collyer Bristow noted that the slight rise in divorce numbers might signal a shifting dynamic in attitudes toward marriage. She said, "The legal and financial benefits marriage has traditionally offered now carry less weight, making marriage no longer the default choice for the modern couple or family."

The recent statistics also reflect a newfound patience among couples contemplating divorce, as economic factors have become a significant deterrent. Sarah Green, a family partner at Michelmores, highlighted that economic challenges are influencing couples' decisions to delay divorce proceedings and to explore alternative resolutions. She stated, "This may mean that people are staying together longer and finding alternative solutions to divorce, because it is simply unaffordable to go their separate ways."

As the landscape of family dynamics continues to evolve, the implications of the most recent ONS divorce statistics underscore the need for timely, responsive reforms in family law to protect all forms of partnerships.

Proposed marriage reforms place greater responsibility on officiants

Proposed reforms to marriage law could also change the responsibilities of those conducting marriage ceremonies, while allowing couples greater flexibility over where they marry.

Emma Leavesley, Family Partner at B P Collins, which has offices across the Thames Valley and London, said: “The proposed reforms appear to place greater responsibility on the person conducting the ceremony. The officiant will now need to play a central role in ensuring not only that the ceremony is properly conducted, but also that both parties are entering into the marriage freely and willingly.

“They could also be expected to identify and guard against issues such as forced marriage, while also making sure the ceremony itself is sufficiently clear and properly overseen so that its validity cannot later be called into question. Practical matters, such as whether the parties could hear and understand what was being said, may become more significant if there is greater flexibility around where and how ceremonies take place.

“The reforms will also make it easier for couples to marry in a wider range of locations, without the venue itself needing to hold a specific civil licence. That will be welcomed by many couples, but it must be matched by a clear system for registration to avoid any oversights and not create uncertainty about whether a marriage is legally valid.”