Study finds Rotherham is a divorce hotspot
ROTHERHAM appears to be a hotbed for people thinking about divorce, according to new research by a law firm.
A new data analysis from Stowe Family Law, based in Sheffield, the UK’s largest specialist family law firm, has found that people in Rotherham are searching for divorce-related terms at a search rate of 1.87 per 1,000 people – compared to the Yorkshire and the Humber average of 1.28.
Barnsley fares even worse with a rate of 2 per 1,000 people though Doncaster is less at 1.61.
Rotherham is higher than the national average of 1.47 searches per 1,000 people.
The findings are based on an analysis of search volume data for ten key divorce-related keywords using Google Keyword Planner.
This data was combined with 2021 Census population figures to calculate an average monthly search rate per 1,000 people for local authority areas and regions across England and Wales.
Wales topped the regional table with 2.51 searches per 1,000 people per month.
Jennifer Hollyer, partner and team leader at Stowe Family Law LLP, said: “In divorce cases in Yorkshire, it’s not always only the separating couple’s financial assets involved, but interests in wider family businesses and structures that need to be navigated, alongside property ownership.
“It can also involve early inheritance gifts that have not yet been mixed with the marital assets, which you want to keep protected from a financial settlement on divorce.”
She added: “For many people, it often comes after a lengthy period of self reflection and research, often alongside a blend of anxiety and apprehension, or even a feeling of guilt.
“These important steps are all part of the process and are both brave and understandable, but it’s also the point at which the quality of the information and advice you receive starts to matter enormously.
“General research has its place, of course. It enables you to understand the basics, form a list of the right questions that suit your specific needs or situation, and can help you to feel more at ease and prepared for the difficult conversations that lie ahead.
“What it cannot do is account for your specific financial position, your assets, or the particular sensitivities of your family situation.”