Divorce Day 2026: The Busiest Day for Break-Ups?

Many people are familiar with Blue Monday, but have you heard of Divorce Day?

The first Monday of January is known as “Divorce Day” in the UK as it is considered a peak day for divorce filings and a time when solicitors receive an increase in enquiries from couples seeking a divorce. Law firms have historically reported a 25% increase in enquiries. This year, Divorce Day will fall on Monday 5 January 2026.
The festive period can involve financial stress and other pressures for many families. It can often highlight the difficulties couples are facing. When many couples approach January, they may consider addressing challenges in their relationship after staying together over the Christmas period to avoid causing upset in the family. January is a time of year when many people seek to make positive changes in their lives and this may include making the decision to end their marriage. The desire for a fresh start may be what contributes to the spike in cases.

Is it a Myth?

Divorce Day is often seen as a myth that is talked about in the media to highlight the rise of cases in the New Year, however, there are spikes throughout the year, not just in January.
The overall data trends suggest that more applications are made between January – March than April - September. In January – March 2025, there were 28,908 applications. Between April – June 2025, there were 26,415.

Regardless of the time of year, it is never an easy decision to reach.

What To Do If You Are Considering a Divorce

There are many factors to consider before proceeding with a divorce.

Since April 2022, the divorce framework in the UK is known as ‘No Fault divorce’ whereby neither party is required to assign blame to the other. Parties simply need to show that the relationship has ‘irretrievably broken down’.

Finances

It is a common misconception that divorce will deal with the financial ties between you and your spouse. This is not the case. A Financial Remedy Order is required to sever financial ties with your spouse.

Applying for and obtaining a divorce involves completing a straightforward online application. Whilst parties await the Conditional Order, it is advised that they spend this time trying to resolve their finances. Spouses will need to consider their housing, other assets (such as pensions) and their income.

There has been a change in the law whereby Courts and legal professionals are encouraging parties to engage in Non Court Dispute Resolution (NCDR), which is seen as a non-confrontational mechanism to resolve disputes. There are various forms of NCDR and spouses are often able to reach an amicable agreement outside of Court. This saves a great deal of time, money and stress.

Children

For many spouses seeking a divorce, there will be a worry about what will happen with the child arrangements and how to navigate the impact upon the family. It is important to consider where the children will live, how they will be financially supported and how they will spend time with each parent. Our family team is experienced with children law as well as divorce matters.

How we can help

The Family Team at Pearson Hards LLP is hear to assist you regarding your divorce. It may be that you have not yet told your spouse that you would like a divorce as you want to understand the legal framework first, which is very common. We have a great deal of experience assisting parties with NCDR as well as engaging in Court proceedings, where required.

If you would like to get in touch, please contact Emma Rothstein, Chloe Langdon or Robyn Mackay on 0208 949 9500. Alternatively you can contact us via email on our website.