Debt 'key to town's high divorce rate'
By Jo Deeks on Thursday, 23rd November 2000.
DEBT is one of the main reasons for Haverhill's poor standing in a national survey of divorce rates, it has been claimed.
Couples in the town are also not good at confronting their problems, according to the town's Citizen's Advice Bureau.
Haverhill came in the bottom 35 of a national survey released last week which ranked 427 towns and cities across the UK by their divorce rates.
Biggleswade, in Bedfordshire, came top with the lowest divorce rate of 6 per cent in the poll, conducted by consumer information company Claritas.
Haverhill had a rate of 21.7 per cent, compared to 15.1 in Cambridge, 11.9 in Royston and 14.8 in Ely.
Brigitte Haig, manager of Haverhill's Citizen's Advice Bureau, said the result came as no suprise to her as around 30 per cent of the bureau's work dealt with relationship problems, including divorce.
Earlier this year she revealed in a funding application to St Edmundsbury Borough Council that Haverhill had the highest divorce rate in relation to its population within the Cambridge County Court district.
Mrs Haig said this was revealed during research by the Lord Chancellor's Department which looked at ways of re-organising divorce proceedings to make them less traumatic and expensive.
It was also looking at possible links with issues such as long-term illness and short-term employment.
"The CAB is very aware of what people are going through. We are prepared to help them understand what benefits are available and put them in touch with other agencies such as Relate and the Cogwheel Trust," Mrs Haig said.
"There is a culture in Haverhill which does not stand back and try to sort out difficulties whether it is in relationships or employment.
"People in Haverhill change jobs more often and spend longer between jobs than in other areas."
She added: "Debt is the main problem that we deal with and the pressure that people are living under is terrible.
"We often have people say to us that by helping sort out their money problems we have saved their marriages."
Ivy Clarke, manager of Relate in West Suffolk, agreed that divorce rates were high in Haverhill but was pleased to have an outpost in the town where help was offered.
The group offers counselling for anyone affected by the breakdown of a relationship, including children when marriages split up, and can also provide psychosexual therapy.
"We are in a position to offer consultation within seven days of a client contacting Relate and counselling can be obtained in Haverhill on Mondays and every day in Bury St Edmunds," Mrs Clarke said.
Anyone wanting help can ring Relate on (01284) 767305 or Haverhill CAB on (01440) 704012.
Couples in the town are also not good at confronting their problems, according to the town's Citizen's Advice Bureau.
Haverhill came in the bottom 35 of a national survey released last week which ranked 427 towns and cities across the UK by their divorce rates.
Biggleswade, in Bedfordshire, came top with the lowest divorce rate of 6 per cent in the poll, conducted by consumer information company Claritas.
Haverhill had a rate of 21.7 per cent, compared to 15.1 in Cambridge, 11.9 in Royston and 14.8 in Ely.
Brigitte Haig, manager of Haverhill's Citizen's Advice Bureau, said the result came as no suprise to her as around 30 per cent of the bureau's work dealt with relationship problems, including divorce.
Earlier this year she revealed in a funding application to St Edmundsbury Borough Council that Haverhill had the highest divorce rate in relation to its population within the Cambridge County Court district.
Mrs Haig said this was revealed during research by the Lord Chancellor's Department which looked at ways of re-organising divorce proceedings to make them less traumatic and expensive.
It was also looking at possible links with issues such as long-term illness and short-term employment.
"The CAB is very aware of what people are going through. We are prepared to help them understand what benefits are available and put them in touch with other agencies such as Relate and the Cogwheel Trust," Mrs Haig said.
"There is a culture in Haverhill which does not stand back and try to sort out difficulties whether it is in relationships or employment.
"People in Haverhill change jobs more often and spend longer between jobs than in other areas."
She added: "Debt is the main problem that we deal with and the pressure that people are living under is terrible.
"We often have people say to us that by helping sort out their money problems we have saved their marriages."
Ivy Clarke, manager of Relate in West Suffolk, agreed that divorce rates were high in Haverhill but was pleased to have an outpost in the town where help was offered.
The group offers counselling for anyone affected by the breakdown of a relationship, including children when marriages split up, and can also provide psychosexual therapy.
"We are in a position to offer consultation within seven days of a client contacting Relate and counselling can be obtained in Haverhill on Mondays and every day in Bury St Edmunds," Mrs Clarke said.
Anyone wanting help can ring Relate on (01284) 767305 or Haverhill CAB on (01440) 704012.
Comment on this story
[board listing] [login] [register]
You must be logged in to post messages. (login now)