Manchester divorce lawyers are to see a 25% rise in inquiries from disgruntled husbands and wives with January being the busiest time of year for wedding break-ups.
Many family divorce lawyers in Greater Manchester are already booked up with appointments from people wanting a fresh start in the new year.
And with more than 100,000 UK divorces each year, it seems that many couples experience an often turbulent time.
Fiona Turner, an expert family and divorce lawyer at Irwin Mitchell in Manchester, said: “It’s a sad fact that in January many divorce lawyers have their busiest period, but it is a myth that everyone who comes to see us has made a sudden decision to split over the Christmas holidays.
“While there will be a number of distress calls from people who have suffered from problems such as extreme arguments and contact with children, the majority of people who contact us will do so calmly having been thinking about the decision for a while.
“In most cases it is not an easy decision for people to contact a divorce lawyer but they see the New Year as a chance to make a new start and many may have already spoken to lawyers informally over the past few months.”
Ms Turner also added that divorce comes as couples get older and their children move away.
“January often brings the promise of a fresh life away from whatever problems they may have faced before,” she said.
“All relationships are different and each individual divorce or separation has different issues whether amicable or not. The important thing is to seek professional advice early so that the right course of action can be agreed, especially where children are involved.”
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