The High Court has settled a dispute between a cohabiting couple over who should own the home they had shared until they split up. The couple, Mr Lee Hudson and Ms Jayne Hathway, had purchased their home in joint names. They both worked and paid their respective salaries into a joint account. Over time, Hudson’s earnings
The divorce rate among the over-60s has decreased in the last few years, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), however in the medium-term there has been an upwards trend in the divorce rate among the over-60s seen in the last few decades. This is in contrast to total divorce figures which have fallen over the same period.
The Family Court has offered useful guidance on whether money given to a married couple by their parents should be classed as a gift or a loan in divorce proceedings. The issue was raised in a settlement hearing between a couple who had large shareholdings in an energy company they had set up together before
Introduction Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a total of 3.2 million households in the UK have acquired a pandemic pet, according to the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association. This means the country now has 17 million pet-owning homes. The usual first ‘port of call’ when a relationship breaks down is agreeing child arrangements and
The term ‘gaslighting’ was used for the first time ever in a published High Court judgement in the Family Courts. This was a milestone moment, giving the term legal credibility and legitimacy. ‘Gaslighting’ is a psychological term used to describe a specific type of manipulation where the manipulator is trying to get someone else (or
When dealing with the finances upon divorce, all assets need to be taken into account including any business interests. It can be particularly contentious when this includes interests in family businesses which have spanned generations. Business interests are likely to be regarded as matrimonial assets and therefore there are circumstances when their value can be
Changes to divorce law will come into effect from 6 April. The government is also introducing a new online service to help couples adapt to the changes. The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 reforms the legal requirements and process for divorce. The act aims to reduce the potential for conflict amongst divorcing couples by
The government is providing an additional £1.3 million to enable more separating parents use the family mediation scheme. The extra investment is expected to help families resolve disputes away from court, such as those involving financial or contact arrangements for children and takes investment in the initiative to more than £3m since its launch in
Despite an ever growing proportion of the population choosing to cohabit rather than get married, nearly half (46%) of adults in England and Wales mistakenly think that couples acquire ‘common law’ rights after living together for a certain amount of time or having children together. These misconceptions can lead to one party being particularly vulnerable in the
Which? has recently undertaken a survey whereby 58% of people said that pensions were not discussed or shared as part of their financial settlement. Pensions often make up a large proportion of the matrimonial assets and sharing of pensions should always be considered upon the breakdown of a marriage, particularly when there is a disparity