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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Helena Horton

Unhappy couples staying put due to cost of living crisis, say divorce lawyers

Divorce England Wales Office for National Statistics
A couple arguing in the street
‘As a result, some couples remain in unhappy or hostile environments, which can be detrimental to everyone involved,’ one lawyer said. Photograph: Andor Bujdoso/Alamy

Couples are putting off divorce because of the cost of living crisis, lawyers have said, after figures showed the average length of a marriage ending in divorce in England and Wales reached a record high last year.

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) released figures on Wednesday showing that the average marriage ending in divorce in 2025 lasted for 13 years. This is the longest since records began in 1963 and up from a record low of 8.9 years in 1985.

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