ONS, the Office of National Statistics, collated and publishes a wide range of figures indicative of national trends. One of the more interesting facts that the divorce rate in England and Wales is at its lowest level since 1981. In 2007 this equated to 11.9 divorcing people per 1000 married population, down from 12.2 per thousand in 2006. These and other statistics appear on this ONS page (or “nuggets” as they call them).
Anecdotally, it seems probable that the rate has gone down still further since the recession. This is a brute function of economics – falling house prices diminish the divided up values whilst the shortage of mortgage funds has made it even harder to create two households out of one. It seems likely that many people who might have have divorced are instead gritting their teeth and putting up with their situation.
As a counter to that, and again anecdotally, it is suggested that the strains imposed by recession, and in particular actual or anticipated job losses, are proving too much for marriages which might otherwise have survived.
The ONS statistics are inevitably collected and collated in arrears. It will be some time before we get any figures to show what the true position is.
