The principles behind spousal maintenance were recently reviewed in the case of
SS v NS (Spousal Maintenance) [2014] EWHC 4183, [2015] 1 FLR (forthcoming). In this case the quantum and duration of spousal maintenance were in dispute. The husband argued that there should be tapering maintenance over 11 years with a s 28(1A) bar. The wife argued that she should receive maintenance for 27 years (she was 39 and the husband was 40). Mostyn J held that the wife should receive spousal maintenance to expire when the youngest child reached 18 (11 years away), but with an extendable term.
Mostyn J summarised the guidelines on spousal maintenance claims in general, and in relation to the terms of maintenance orders he said the following:
- In every case the court must consider a termination of spousal maintenance with a transition to independence as soon as it is just and reasonable. A term should be considered unless the payee would be unable to adjust without undue hardship to the ending of payments. A degree of (not undue) hardship in making the transition to independence is acceptable.
- If the choice between an extendable term and a joint lives order is finely balanced the statutory steer should militate in favour of the former.
- The marital standard of living is relevant to the quantum of spousal maintenance, but is not decisive. That standard should be carefully weighed against the desired objective of eventual independence.
- There is no criterion of exceptionality in an application to extend a term order. On such an application an examination should be made of whether the implicit premise of the original order of the ability of the payee to achieve independence had been impossible to achieve and if so, why.
- On an application to discharge a joint lives order an examination should be made of the original assumption that it was just too difficult to predict eventual independence.
- If the choice between extendable and non-extendable term is finely balanced the decision should normally be in favour of the economically weaker party.
From this it seems as though the recent trend is to strive to achieve a clean break wherever possible, even if that means causing some hardship in the short term. It is certainly a tougher approach on the financially weaker party than the older case law on the subject.
Proposed changesIn tandem with the above trend, there is a Private Members Bill working its way through the House of Lords at the moment, supported by Baroness Deech, which proposes that spousal maintenance should be restricted to a total of three years, except in exceptional circumstances. Baroness Deech argues that maintenance laws have not been properly overhauled since 1857 and a more modern approach is required, set out in the Divorce (Financial Provision) Bill.
This Bill goes much further than Mostyn J set out in
SS v NS. Indeed in that case he commented on the Bill, and quoted the obiter comments of Lord Hope in
Miller v Miller; McFarlane v McFarlane when he stated that 'it can be seen how unfairly the principle …discriminates against women' and that 'the career break which results from concentrating on motherhood and the family in the middle years of their lives comes at a price which in most cases is irrecoverable'.
Although the Bill would result in greater certainty, it is submitted that this comes at a significant cost, and risks the financially weaker party being left in difficult circumstances. It also is likely to lead to discrimination, with the majority of stay at home parents still being women. Although it cannot be denied that there is uncertainty in family law, due to the discretion given to human judges, that discretion allows a great deal of flexibility to strive for the fair outcome. Parliament has already intervened in this area (well after 1857) by virtue of s 25A of the 1973 Act and the search to achieve a clean break if possible. This allows the court to weigh up all the factors of the case, rather than being forced to impose a clean break rigidly after three years (save in exceptional circumstances).
ConclusionIt is submitted that the courts have a high level of discretion for a reason, and that this flexibility is essential to be able to reach a fair award. Judges are able to balance the future needs of a spouse with the goal of eventual financial independence for both parties. This may result in no order for periodical payments, an order for three years or an order for a great deal longer. Arbitrarily limiting such an award to three years risks creating real financial hardship and a greater burden on the state as a result. It also is highly likely to be discriminatory, as women are still more likely to make economic sacrifices during the marriage for the benefit of the family.
The court already has the power to limit maintenance claims by using the s 28(1A) bar, and this could be used to terminate maintenance claims after three years, if appropriate. The key phrase is, of course, ‘if appropriate’ as this allows judges the flexibility necessary to reach a fair outcome factoring in all the individual circumstances of the case.
The views expressed by contributing authors are not necessarily those of Family Law or Jordan Publishing and should not be considered as legal advice.