Divorce lawyer defends equal share for wives

A family lawyer has spoken up for the rights of hard-working stay-at-home mums to be awarded an equal share of the assets on divorce.

The comments by Elspeth Kinder, a solicitor with DWF, follows a recent survey which revealed that mums would be paid more than the average salary if they received the going rate for their chores.

The survey by alljoinon.com showed the average mum did almost nine hours’ of house-work a day and would earn an annual salary of nearly £30,000 if she was employed, compared to the average UK wage of £23,700.

Elspeth says: “The survey illustrates the valuable contribution that hard-working mums make to a household, often in addition to working full or part time. The equal contribution made by wives was a key theme in the case of White v White in 2000, which revolutionised divorce law and established the principle of an equal division of assets. Each case is individual, and in some cases a wife and mother may even need more than 50 per cent of the capital assets to provide a home for her and the children together with ongoing maintenance.

“Husbands often question the 50/50 principle but many successful men wouldn’t be where they are without the support of their wives. Acknowledgment should also be given to the continued role that wives play following a divorce, when they often take on the responsibility of looking after the kids for many years after the marriage has broken down – leaving their former husbands free to pursue potentially successful careers.”

DWF has developed extensive sector-specific expertise in a number of areas including: automotive, education, retail & leisure, legal expenses and food and resourcing. Further information on DWF is available via www.dwf.co.uk