Eighty percent of the most financially complex divorce cases take place in the south of England. Tangled finances result in one fifth of divorced couples continuing to live together in the family home.
Divorces in London are five times more financially complex than those in the north east of England. This is because of the high value of property, rental assets, family businesses and large pensions.
Financial strain plays a significant role in living arrangements: one third of people say that the cost of living presents a barrier to separating or moving out.
One quarter of people say they don’t have enough savings to begin the divorce process or move out. A similar number say that jointly owning a property is the major obstacle to separating.
For those who had left the family home, the average time between the end of the marriage and leaving was seven months. For those aged over 55, it took 20 months. One third of this age group didn’t move out at all.