Marriage rates at record low

Solicitors in Northern Ireland can expect to see a slowdown in the number of divorces they deal with, as new figures have shown the rate of marriage is at an all-time low.

Fewer people are getting married now than at any time since records began way back in 1862.

However, solicitors could find themselves having to deal with issues surrounding the break-up of relationships other than marriages over the course of the coming years, as more people are choosing to co-habit.

That includes buying property and having children together and solicitors in Northern Ireland could find they are increasingly dealing with the break-up of long-term relationships outside marriage, where the legal rules can be far less clear-cut.

Research from the National Office of Statistics has found that the number of marriages in England and Wales fell by 3.3 per cent in 2007 compared to the previous year, with similar falls expected to be seen across the rest of Britain and Northern Ireland.

Recent research has suggested that 2009 will see an increase in the break-up of relationships as the credit crunch puts greater pressure on couples.

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