"Pressure cooker situation" for couples at Christmas as 1 in 10 view the holiday as make or break

An law firm operating in Essex is billing today as "divorce day" - the busiest day of the year for couples filing for divorce.

Law firm Slater and Gordon reveals 1 in 10 couples view the Christmas as make or break to their marriage.

And more than 75% in the East of England say they're happier after divorce.

Family Lawyer at Slater and Gordon, Andrew Ormrod, tells Greatest Hits Radio why today is so busy for family law firms:

"People tend to give each other one more opportunity at Christmas, get Christmas out the way, whether it's for financial reasons or for their kids.

"Or even just getting that period out the way and then they can start that process.

"Many are spending a lot more time in close quarters over Christmas. Alcohol is often involved which can lead to acrimony arguments.

"The cumulative effects of all these things bring about a pressure cooker situation which leads people to revaluate where they are" says Andrew.

New research by the law firm reveals 43% of couples in the East of England say the cost of living crisis has put additional pressure on their marriage.

When asked about the cost of filing for a divorce, Andrew tells us:

"It's a catch 22 situation.

"Obviously the cost of living crisis puts a lot of pressure on people and magnifies cracks in the relationship. But then people have the same token of worry on what a financial settlement might look like in a divorce.

"All I would say is it's almost always in people's interest to get early advice, then they can take stock and make a more informed decision down the line."

Slater and Gordon research reveals more than a quarter of divorcees (26%) say that only one of them could afford the divorce and 26% say neither of them could afford it.

Additionally, in the East of England, 46% of couples wish they'd started the divorce process earlier.

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