Silver Divorces

Lund Bennett Family Law - Cheshire and Manchester

The percentage of people over the age of 60 seeking divorces has risen steadily since the 90’s according to the latest divorce statistics.

This is in stark contrast to the number of people overall who are filing for divorce, which has fallen year after year. One possible reason for this is the number of over 60’s now in our society. Other possible reasons are the ease with which people can get divorced compared with that in the 70’s and 80’s, with divorces rising sharply when the Divorce Reform Act came into effect in 1971.

In 2011, 9,500 men aged 60 or over divorced, a 71% increase in comparison to 1991. The level in men’s divorces over 60 is higher than that of women, as men tend to be the older party in relationships. Also because the life expectancy of men in England and Wales has risen, and divorce is much less of a taboo that it used to be.

Another interesting explanation could be due to the number of women in the jobs market compared to the 70’s. The employment rate of women rose by 13% from 1971 to 2012, meaning that women are now much more financially independent and capable of supporting themselves outside of marriage.