The views on whether the economic crisis has increased divorced rates, or decreased them, as been divided of late. Some people can’t afford to get divorced as they’re in negative equity with their home, and can’t afford to sell it, so are staying together instead of divorcing. Other couples are arguing over money, redundancy and other issues, so are flocking to the divorce courts.

Divorce lawyer Vanessa Lloyd-Platt is of the opinion that the credit crunch is seeing a spike in divorces, especially among men who look to duck large settlements by getting divorced after they’ve been made redundant. She claims that wealthy men are seeking divorce as a way to cut costs, namely their wives, out of their lives. These men are divorcing their wives now, taking the opportunity to get divorced while they have little or no income, so they don’t have to pay out as much.

Clive Bellmore