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May 1 is most common day of year to break up, new study says

Marie-Claire Dorking
·Contributor
·4-min read
Woman feeling sad after breaking up with her partner. (Getty Images)
New research has revealed May 1 is the day. you're most likely to be dumped. (Getty Images) (Kathrin Ziegler via Getty Images)

There’s never a good time to break-up with someone, but it seems the looming summer is inspiring many couples to call it quits on their relationship with research revealing today as the most popular day to do the dumping.

If you’ve been planning on ending things with your other half sooner rather than later, then you’re in good company, as today, May 1 has been marked as the "most popular day of the year" to get ditched.

Nearly seven in ten (69%) of the 2,000 Brits polled cited May as the best month to end a relationship ahead of the warmer summer months.

While three in 10 Brits (30%) say the 1st day of the month is the best time to break up with someone, as it gives them a clean break at the start of the month.

It seems the arrival of the new month stirs up feelings of fresh starts as just under three-quarters (73%) say spring is the optimal season to quit a relationship in order to kick start the season with new beginnings.

Turns out the promise of upcoming hot weather has an impact on our emotions too with six in 10 (63%) of those surveyed agreeing that summer is the best season to be single, versus eight in 10 who say they’re more likely to be in a relationship in the winter months.

Couple not speaking on the sofa. (Getty Images)
New research has revealed the start of the warmer weather can spark more break-ups. (Getty Images) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Over half of respondents (55%) said they have experienced being dumped in the months leading up to the summer, with 86% admitting that they’d like to be more "carefree" in the warmer months.

As well as uncovering when couples are most likely to split, the study, commissioned by Sky Mobile, also revealed how the dumping is most likely to be done.

Somewhat surprisingly half of Brits (56%) are prepared to terminate a relationship by text, citing avoiding confrontation (46%), nervousness around speaking face-to-face or on the phone (42%) and the ease of cutting contact (24%) as their reasons for side-stepping those awkward phone calls.

Just under three-quarters (72%) admit that they dither rather than face up to their partner and have a conversation, with 77% admitting they would be more likely to break up with someone over text if it was guilt free.

But many Brits are far less decisive when it comes to ending a romance with 68% admitting they would stay in a relationship even if it was unhappy to avoid having to go through with a break-up.

A miserable one in five (20%) say they have been stuck in an unhappy partnership for over a year.

The research also found that it isn't just relationships some Brits struggle to move on from, with over a third (37%) not getting out of a toxic friendship and 27% struggling to get rid of old photos and souvenirs and a further 27% refusing to chuck out rarely worn clothes or jewellery.

Couple arguing. (Getty Images)
May is the month break-ups are most likely to occur. (Getty Images) (Getty)

1. Toxic friends (37%)

2. Old photos and souvenirs (27%)

3. Rarely worn clothes or jewellery (27%)

4. Unsuitable partners (26%)

5. Old mobile phones, charges, and laptops (16%)

6. Mobile phone networks (15%)

7. Old children’s toys (14%)

8. Old bills and paperwork (14%)

9. Books and magazines never read (13%)

10. Old school and college work (13%)

11. Home that has been outgrown (13%)

12. Unused kitchen gadgets (13%)

13. Childhood teddy (12%)

14. Low interest bank accounts (12%)

15. Music never listened to (11%)

16. Subscriptions for things you don’t use that auto-renew (11%)

17. Beauty products that aren’t quite right (10%)

18. Hated gifts or presents (9%)

19. Old furniture (8%)

20. Gym memberships that are never used (7%)