It has been announced that the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 will come into force on 6th April 2022. This will allow married couples to divorce without assigning blame.
Currently the law provides that unless a couple lives separately for at least 2 years then they may only divorce if one person blames the other for the breakdown of the marriage.
Under the new law there will be no requirement to lay blame on one party, and couples may apply jointly for a divorce.
It is hoped that the new laws will allow couples to divorce amicably and reduce the stress involved in the process, which is particularly important where children are involved.
Although 6th April 2022 is later than it had been hoped the new laws would take effect, it is understood that the delay is to allow time for necessary IT changes to be made to HMCTS’s online divorce systems.
For advice on any of the issues raised in this article please contact our specialist family law team on 01524 846846.
