The Office for National Statistics have said that inflation in October was 4.2% which is the highest for nearly 10 years. The BBC have calculated that inflation is likely to mean that living costs for a typical family household budget could go up by about £1700 in 2022.

It is clear that many families will be experiencing increasing financial pressure, and Christmas is often a time of year when that is most acute. People want to spend money on their kids and have a good Christmas, but then the credit card bills can come in after Christmas and the stress mounts.

Divorce lawyers have long noticed that they tend to get busier immediately after Christmas. The thinking is that because lots of divorces are related to financial stress, that the additional financial pressure over Christmas can tip the balance for already strained marriages.

There is also the thought that people want to give it one more go over Christmas to try and mend their relationship but find they can’t.

Connected with that is the fact that for many of us the longest time we spend with our spouses is in holiday periods. Summer holidays are generally better if we are all outside, enjoying the sun and family life. Being together indoors over winter at Christmas, with some of the other pressures that Christmas brings, can cause some people to conclude that they no longer want to be married to their spouse.

The Divorce Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 is likely to come into force in April 2022 which will make the process of getting divorced more straightforward and may remove some of the conflict.

Many couples already arrange their own divorce without using lawyers. But it’s important to appreciate that the process of getting divorced is not the whole story. There are often negotiations that must be had around children and finances. Those can involve some complex areas of law and, if there are significant issues, you may want to take legal advice from a lawyer specialising in the area.

It is possible to resolve a lot of disputes by mediation, and that is now a common feature of family law. However, you may want to know what your legal rights are before you go into a mediation and often couples who have reached a mediated settlement will still need lawyers to help draft the Court order which reflects the settlement reached.

Choosing a divorce lawyer to help you with these matters is often one of the most significant decisions that someone will make. Our website has useful guidance on how to choose a divorce or family lawyer and some of the things to consider. We also have a searchable facility to identify regulated solicitors with certain specialisms including divorce and family work.