No-fault divorce: rush expected as new law introduced in England and Wales

Lawyers have been at pains to point out that the new law would not affect the financial settlement process nor necessarily speed up the divorce. Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA

Lawyers are expecting a surge in applications from separating couples when no-fault divorce is introduced in England and Wales on Wednesday.

In what has been described as the biggest reform of divorce laws for 50 years, couples will not have to either separate for at least two years – increasing to five if one party does not consent – or allocate blame to legally end their marriage.