Falling out of love in lockdown: Divorce lawyers and counsellors report surge in enquiries from warring couples during coronavirus crisis
- Many couples are at breaking point after being cooped up together for weeks
- Couples fighting over finances, sharing childcare and, for some, alcohol use
- Finding time alone to seek divorce proceedings are more difficult in lockdown
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Divorce lawyers and relationship counsellors have reported a huge surge in enquiries during coronavirus lockdown.
Many couples are at breaking point after being cooped up together for weeks, fighting over strained finances, sharing childcare and, for some couples, alcohol use.
It has prompted many to seek out professional help to fix their problems, with others calling it quits.
But lockdown has meant that finding time alone to seek divorce proceedings are even more difficult, with children out of school and adults working from home or furloughed.
Divorce lawyers and relationship counsellors have reported a huge surge in enquiries during coronavirus lockdown (stock image)
Head of legal firm Vardags Emma Gill told The Times: ‘Some people can only message in the evening when their partner has gone to bed, or get up early in the morning to do so.
She added: ‘That is where we have seen a real change in how people are communicating with us.’
The beginning of lockdown saw Google searches related to divorce drop by 30 per cent before swiftly picking up as the weeks went on.
Experts say couples already intending to split before lockdown could have paused their plans until the pandemic was over.
But as isolation added more and more strain, lockdown acted as the straw that broke the camel’s back pushing relationships over the edge.
Head of therapy service Tavistock Relationships Liz Hamlin said: ‘If you are locked down you begin to have the time to start reflecting intensely on your relationship and thinking: “I’m not quite so sure about this going on in the future and if life isn’t going at full tilt this is an opportunity to make a change once restrictions lift”.’
Lockdown has meant couples are spending more time together than they would if they had to go to work. Pictured: A couple on a London tube in March
In March, high-profile celebrity divorce lawyer Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia warned coronavirus is ‘very likely’ to lead to an increase in marriage break-ups as couples are confined together for long periods in self-isolation.
Baroness Shackleton, nicknamed the ‘Steel Magnolia’ for her skills and charm, has represented clients including Formula 1 heiress Petra Ecclestone, the Prince of Wales, Madonna and Liam Gallagher.
Most recently, Baroness Shackleton represented Princess Haya in her acrimonious divorce proceedings with her estranged husband, Sheikh Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai.
Baroness Shackleton also represented Sir Paul McCartney in his divorce to Heather Mills – who famously threw a jug of water over the lawyer in court after she was granted some £24million in the break-up.
Many couples are at breaking point after being cooped up together for weeks, fighting over strained finances, sharing childcare and, for some couples, alcohol use (stock image)
She told Peers at Westminster: ‘Our peak times are after long exposure during the summer holidays and over Christmas.
‘One only has to imagine what it’s going to be like when families are sealed in a property for a long period of time.’
She added: ‘The prediction amongst divorce lawyers is that following self-imposed confinement it is very likely that the divorce rate will rise.’
However, Lady Shackleton raised concerns over the lack of provision relating to divorce.
She said: ‘When we leave the EU there will be an enormous vacuum and there has been no direction to the judges or the people who practice in this area as to what is going to happen.’