Wales had fallen to their lowest level for nearly half a century. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that 101,669 divorces were recorded between mixed-sex couples in the 2017-2018 period. Divorce rates between mixed-sex couples fell to 90,871 for the 2018-2019 period, marking an 11 per cent decrease and the lowest statistic since 1971. According to ONS, approximately four in 10 marriages end in divorce, with around half occurring within the first 10 years of matrimony. The start of 2020 is set to see the biggest shake up of divorce laws for over half a century as the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill entered Parliament on 7 January. First promised by the government in April 2018, divorcing couples have now been waiting nearly a year for the arrival of the bill, which is likely to .