The Seasons of Dispute: When Legal Conflicts Peak Across the UK

Disputes can arise at any point in the year, but new research suggests that timing plays a bigger role than many might expect. To uncover when legal tensions are most likely to surface, researchers at Stephen Rimmer analysed Google Trends data for a selection of dispute-related search terms, grouped into themes - such as property, debt recovery, contested probate, employment and divorce – covering the past 12 months.

The findings reveal a clear seasonal pattern. Most areas of dispute experienced their highest search activity during the autumn months, indicating that issues may build over the course of the year before coming to a head towards its end. The one exception is divorce-related searches, which peaked primarily in the spring, suggesting that relationship pressures often emerge earlier in the calendar.

Understanding when and why disputes arise offers valuable insight into how personal, financial, and workplace pressures influence behaviour. Seasonal fluctuations can highlight wider trends in how people experience conflict, and when they are most likely to seek help.

In this article, we will examine the data in detail, exploring the different types of disputes that see seasonal peaks and considering the possible reasons behind these patterns.

How Did We Conduct the Study?

The study used Google Trends data to track how interest in different types of disputes changed throughout the year. Researchers selected a broad range of search terms across property, debt recovery, contested probate, employment and divorce, focusing only on phrases that showed clear intent to seek legal information or advice. For example, “how to get a divorce UK” rather than “divorce.”

These terms were then grouped into broader themes to provide a balanced view of when each type of dispute is most prominent.

Google Trends measures search activity on a scale from 0 to 100, with 100 representing the point of highest interest within the selected period. This approach allowed clear seasonal patterns to emerge, showing how and when people are most likely to look for legal guidance.

Disputes Which Peak in the Autumn

Significantly, most dispute themes reached their highest level of search activity in the autumn months. The following sections look at each dispute theme in turn and explore potential factors that may help to explain these autumn peaks.

Property Disputes

Search data showed that interest in property disputes tended to cluster towards the autumn, with seven out of ten related search terms reaching peak interest in this season.

Here’s the full list of property-related search terms along with the dates when interest in each one peaked:

There are several potential reasons for this pattern. Work carried out before winter can highlight problems between neighbours or raise questions about access, boundaries and shared responsibility.At the same time, Autumn may be a period when households review finances ahead of Christmas or the new tax year. This can bring long-standing property disagreements or cost-sharing issues, such as maintenance or service charges, back into focus.A small number of search terms fell outside this trend but still follow a logical seasonal pattern. For example, searches for “landlord tenant dispute resolution” peaked in December 2024, which may reflect winter-related concerns for landlords and tenants such as heating, rent payments and tenancy renewals.Furthermore, “Free legal advice property dispute” saw a peak in March 2025, coinciding with tax-year planning and property reviews ahead of the spring market.

Debt Recovery

Debt recovery disputes showed one of the clearest seasonal patterns across all the themes analysed. 80% of debt-related terms, including “debt recovery solicitor”, “claim for unpaid debt” and “debt recovery UK” (as seen in the graph below) reached their highest point in September, October and November 2025.

Here’s the full list of debt recovery-related search terms, along with the dates when interest in each one peaked:

One possible explanation is timing within the financial year. Many businesses start reviewing cash flow and unpaid invoices as the final quarter approaches, deciding which debts to chase before closing their books.

For individuals, this period may mark a moment of reflection before the extra costs of winter and Christmas, leading some to take action over money they are owed.

Not all searches followed the same pattern, but the variation still reflects financial pressures. For example, “take legal action for unpaid debt” saw a February 2025 peak, likely connected to post-holiday cash flow problems, while “letter before action debt” spiked in March of this year, which is a time when many might review their accounts and begin formal recovery steps.

The overall picture points to a seasonal rhythm in how people deal with unpaid debts. When financial reviews, year-end planning and personal budgeting all coincide, the result is a clear increase in debt recovery activity through the autumn months.

Contested Probate

Generally, interest in contested probate matters also showed a noticeable rise towards Autumn.

The complete list of contested probate-related search terms, together with the dates of their peak search interest, is outlined below:

The reasons for this may be both practical and emotional. Autumn often follows a period of family gatherings, holidays and estate administration during the summer months, when wills may be discussed. These conversations can bring unresolved issues to light, for example, questions about fairness, exclusion or how an estate has been handled.

As we approach the end of the calendar year, people may also look to organise their finances, which can prompt a closer examination of inheritance matters.

Interestingly, some activity occurs outside this main period but still follows logical patterns. Searches for “inheritance dispute advice” were highest in May 2025, potentially reflecting the financial planning that coincides with the end of the tax year.

Some other outliers include “how to contest a will” and “left out of will”, both of which peaked in the summer months of 2025, as depicted below.

Employment

The data also suggested that employment issues are more frequently raised in the autumn months.

Here’s the full list of employment-related search terms along with the dates when interest in each one peaked:

There are multiple potential reasons for this Autumnal dominance. Many organisations carry out end-of-year reviews in the autumn, sometimes leading to restructuring, redundancies or contract changes. These activities naturally increase the likelihood of workplace disputes and claims for unfair or constructive dismissal.

Employees who have experienced changes to their working conditions or job security during this period may begin seeking legal advice.

The data also highlighted a secondary cluster of activity in the spring. Searches for “ACAS early conciliation form”, “legal advice unfair dismissal”, “how to appeal dismissal” (depicted in the first graph below), and “constructive dismissal claim” (depicted in the second graph below) peaked between March and May 2025. This coincides with the end of the tax year and the start of new financial cycles, when many businesses review contracts or staffing levels.

Disputes which Peak in the Spring

Divorce

Fascinatingly, divorce-related searches follow a markedly different pattern from other dispute themes, with most activity concentrated in the spring months.

The full list of divorce-related search terms and their peak interest dates is as follows:

The spring period appears to represent the point at which many couples take the first practical steps towards separation. After the winter months, people may reassess their relationships and begin exploring their legal options.

March, in particular, saw increased interest in searches focused on starting the process, such as “file for divorce UK” (as depicted in the graph below), “divorce solicitor near me”, and “divorce legal advice”, indicating that this is when people first seek advice or complete initial paperwork.

May also saw two search terms - “apply for divorce UK” and “divorce mediation” (shown in the graph below) - reach their peak.

On the other hand, a few peaks appear in the autumn months. Searches for “divorce cost UK”, “how to get a divorce UK”, and “online divorce UK” increased between September and November, suggesting that some individuals revisit the process later in the year. This could be linked to renewed focus on personal matters as the year draws to a close.

Facing a dispute? Get timely legal advice before it escalates

Disputes have a way of surfacing when life is already full, and it can be difficult to know when to seek help. Whether it involves your home, your job, or your family, taking advice early can stop a problem from becoming something bigger.

At Stephen Rimmer Solicitors, we help people across the UK resolve disputes with clarity and confidence. Our team provides straightforward, practical support tailored to your situation.

If a dispute is starting to develop, or you simply want to understand your options, we’re here to help. Call us on 01323 644222, email enquiries@stephenrimmer.com, or visit our contact page to arrange a consultation.

Methodology

The findings in this study are based on data gathered using Google Trends, analysing the search activity of UK users over the past 12 months (from 10 November, 2024 to 10 November, 2025). A range of dispute-related search terms was selected to represent common areas of conflict, including property, debt recovery, contested probate, employment, and divorce.

To ensure accuracy, only terms where the intent of the searcher was clear were included. For example, phrases such as “how to get a divorce UK” were preferred over more general terms like “divorce”, allowing the data to better reflect people actively seeking legal help or information.

These terms were then grouped into broader dispute themes to create a balanced overview of when different types of conflict are most prominent.

Google Trends measures search interest on a relative scale from 0 to 100, where 100 represents the peak popularity of a term within the selected time and region. A score of 50 indicates that interest was half as strong, while 0 means there was not enough data for that term.

The resulting dataset reveals how interest in various dispute themes fluctuates throughout the year, highlighting when people are most likely to search for legal guidance. The results reflect the data at the time the study was conducted and may have changed since.

While the data provides insight into public search behaviour, the grouping and interpretation reflect the independent analysis carried out by researchers at Stephen Rimmer Solicitors.