Divorce Day – Fact or Fiction

Families across the UK are enjoying the Christmas holidays, but some couples will not be joining in the festive cheer this year. The holidays are often a tricky time for couples whose relationships have been under pressure for a while. Add in the intense time spent together, financial pressure, extended family critiques and unrealistic expectations (nothing worse than happy people’s Facebook posts) – and it can spell disaster for some relationships.

More relationships break down in January than at other times of the year. This phenomenon has led to the first working Monday in January being dubbed ‘Divorce Day’ by the media.  Divorce Day, which this year will fall on Monday 8th January, sees searches on the internet and enquiries to divorce providers peak. Over 40,500 people in the UK are expected to search online for divorce throughout January with much of this falling on and around 8th January. This is nearly 25% higher than the usual traffic.

If you’ve bottled things up over Christmas and have been putting on a brave for the sake of your children, family or friends, then the earliest opportunity to do something about your broken relationship may well be the first day back to work. As everyone’s opportunities to get some private time vary, In reality ‘Divorce Day’ is more a case of ‘divorce month’ than any single day in January.

You are not alone if your relationship is in crisis. Relate estimates that 1 in 5 relationships are on the verge of breakdown across the UK and are causing significant mental or physical distress to couples. If you’re entering the festive period with trepidation, whatever stage you’re at, we have support and advice to see you through.

Don’t rush into anything

If you’re not sure it’s over, make sure you dedicate some proper ‘time out’ to really consider whether separation is the best option. Click here to be guided through how to do this.

If its the end of the road, here’s how to tell your partner (sensitively)

Divorce is a journey and can take around five months to sort out, so considering this and the communication you’ll have to still have with ex is important. Use this guide to prepare for this tricky situation that will set you up for an amicable separation.

Make sure you’re emotionally prepared for the journey ahead

It’s a marathon, not a sprint and the better emotionally prepared you are the more likely you will be to achieve an amicable split. Use our change curve to plot your own and your partner’s emotional state and seek help to make sure you are both ready.

Want to get divorced but not sure where to start?

Use amicable’s break-up checklist for a list of all the things you need to consider and sort out. Divorce can seem daunting but breaking things up into manageable chunks will ease stress and ensure you don’t encounter any surprises along the way.

As Divorce Day approaches, use this time to prepare emotionally. Focus on goals you want to achieve in the new year and what steps you can take to make them a reality. Consider what’s best for any children of the family and put things in place to ensure all family members can access support when they need it. amicable will be available over Christmas and New Year so please get in touch if you’d like any free advice on your personal situation.