Today (Monday, January 5) is sometimes known as “divorce day”. Well, OK, not this particular date or this specific year: the first working Monday of January has been linked to a rise in legal enquiries about separation and divorce.

And according to Liza Gatrell, managing partner at family law specialist firm Stowe Family Law, the trend increasingly includes those over 50.

“Divorce Day on January 5th, 2026... brings into focus the growing trend of ‘grey divorce’: a term used to describe the increasing number of couples over 50 who are choosing to part ways,” Gatrell said.

And though she admits that “divorce day” is a bit of a myth, as enquiries “fluctuate” throughout the year, “early January year-on-year remains a period of heightened reflection for many as couples take stock of their relationship and start to get clarity on what divorce could mean for them”.

Here, she shared why she thinks “grey divorce” is on the rise.

Why is “grey divorce” on the........

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