What is the Rate of Divorce in Swindon?
Divorce can be a highly emotional period and one that proves challenging for everyone concerned. It’s not something that’s entered into lightly and there are many reasons why a couple might choose to separate.
But exactly how many people are divorcing? Here, we look at the figures for Swindon and see how that looks compared to divorce rates across the UK.

Understanding divorce rates
According to recent Family Court statistics, between January and March 2024 there were 27,908 divorce applications made. While this is a significant number, the figures are down by 11% on the equivalent quarter in 2023.
In contrast, the rate of divorce here in Swindon is lower than the national average by 1.02%. This information is the result of a detailed study by Stowe Family Law that investigates divorce trends. Here, divorce data for Swindon from previous years is combined with an assessment of the likelihood of divorce for individuals based on where they live.
This method revealed that the SN26 postcode has the lowest divorce rate, with legal separation 19.6x less likely than the national average. The SN2 postcode has the highest divorce rate, which is 2.06x more likely.
Factors influencing divorce in Swindon
It’s unclear what exactly drives these conflicting numbers. According to Jemma Slavin, Regional Director at Stowe Family Law: “…the data reveals that in Swindon there are wide discrepancies from the average which raises the question of why that might be. There does not appear to be any single theme that unites those with higher or lower incidence rates.”
It’s not always easy to pinpoint why couples decide to divorce. These figures can only paint a picture, but they don’t explain why individuals in these parts of Swindon are more or less likely to part ways.
Recent changes to divorce law
In the UK, there’s been one significant change in divorce law. No-blame divorce is a legal process that means couples can end their marriage without having to state either party is at fault. It came into effect on 6 April 2022 and is known as the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020.
Previously, traditional divorce proceedings involved proving fault, and this was often noted as a cause of resentment during these proceedings. Removing this need to find fault means now divorce prioritises cooperation and mutual agreement, rather than centring the separation on blame.
The most recent data shows that there were 89,123 divorce applications in the nine months from when the new law came into effect. Divorce applications between April 2021 to December 2021, prior to the ‘no-fault’ law being introduced, was 77,449, indicating that couples have been utilising this new legislation.
Given this UK-wide trend, it’s likely that any upticks in divorces in Swindon are linked to these legal updates.
Seeking legal support
If you’re considering divorcing your partner, it’s important that you seek professional support. You may find that counselling or mediation are helpful first steps in this process.
However, if you want to begin divorce proceedings, it’s worth speaking to local divorce solicitors. They’ll be able to take you through the process, explaining areas such as no-fault divorce and other key details like division of assets, custody arrangements, and financial settlements.
This is a significant decision, but there is professional support available. You’ll be able to get through this process and mark the end of this chapter and the start of the next.
Comments