Soar in divorce for the over 50s
Wednesday, 24th February 2010
As the rate for divorce across the UK fell to 130,000 a year, the over 50s are bucking the trend and approaching their solicitors for a clean break, new figures have revealed.
A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) study has shown that divorce amongst the over 50s has increased by 19% since 1998, up to 23,000 a year.
More and more females are embracing singledom in their 50s and 60s and researchers claim that as women grow old, and see their children flee the nest, they long to become a Single Women Over Fifty, or ‘Swoftie’, and experience pastures new.
“Women in this age group wave goodbye to their children, are suddenly alone with their partner and realise that they want something else from life,” said the DWP’s study.
Additional figures show that such a change in family life brings new dangers for the newly single.
Controlling one’s finances after years of dependence can become a struggle and 14% of women over 50 take on a new job immediately after a divorce, while 30% find themselves paying the household bills for the first time and experts believe securing finances is essential when severing marital ties.
“Finding yourself alone after years of marriage is a daunting experience, particularly when it comes to financial matters. Many singletons may feel overwhelmed by the sudden responsibility of paying the bills or sorting out the mortgage, let alone thinking about funding 20 years of retirement,” pensions expert Jasmine Birtles told The Daily Express this week.
“We’re living longer and that means we’re getting more time to re-evaluate what we want to get out of our lives, whether that means buying a dream home, changing careers or finding a new partner.”
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