* The posh Somerset market town – recently declared the ‘best place to live in the South West’ – tops the new cheating map listing the UK’s 400 top places for extra-marital affairs

* Frome has 1,309 people having affairs – 7.32% of the town’s population

* The award will be added to Frome’s mantelpiece, having also recently been recognised as the best place to live, the most stylish town and one of the most welcoming places in the UK

* Cheating in Frome is out of control with a massive 131% rise in adultery since 2022 as rising rents leave couples looking for a cheaper alternative to divorce 

* Figures are featured in the new Infidelity Index cheating table compiled by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading affairs site

The cheating capital of the UK is swanky Frome in Somerset, according to a new map of the country’s top 400 infidelity hotspots.

The picturesque market town – recently declared the ‘best place to live in the South West’ – has now officially been named the area people are most likely to cheat on their partner.

Frome has 1,309 people who are having affairs, which makes up 7.32% of the town’s population – a ‘Frome-nomenal’ 131% increase on 2022’s data of just 566 affairs.

The spike in affairs has been linked to the housing crisis that was officially declared by the town last month – with couples struggling to keep up with soaring rental rates paired with the cost of living crisis, people are looking for a cheaper alternative to divorce.

The most faithful town is Blackpool with just 0.38% of the town’s population having affairs (570 cheats).

The interactive Infidelity Index allows users to search a town, city or postcode to discover how many people are having affairs in any locality.

This year’s table from IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating site for married people, shows that cheating has risen by 7% nationally since the start of the year as the cost of living crisis takes its toll on relationships. 

It is the highest annual rise in the 20 years since the dating site was founded.

Click here to find your local figure – based on data from one million postcodes – 

www.infidelityindex.co.uk
 

In second place is Weybridge with 946 cheats (5.95% of the population), followed by Wilmslow in third place with 1,484 cheats (5.77% of the population), Fulwood is fourth with 1,684 cheats (5.73% of the population) and Egham comes fifth with 422 cheats (5.72%).

Caerphilly is Wales’ hotbed for infidelity, coming 8th in the table with 1,998 people cheating on their partners (5.31% of the town’s population).

Motherwell has been declared Scotland’s most unfaithful town taking 10th place, with 1,447 cheats (5.14% of the town’s population).

Northern Ireland, on the other hand, is the most faithful country in the UK with its top town for cheating taking 157th place with 541 cheats in Newtownards (just 2.35% of the town’s population).

IllicitEncounters.com spokeswoman Jessica Leoni said “Frome is the new cheating capital of the UK. There’s been an avalanche of affairs, as no doubt couples are bearing the brunt of the cost of living crisis, and that reflects in these statistics. 

High mortgage repayments, rising rent, sky-high energy bills, an increase in food prices – with all of this financial strain is it any wonder that relationships are being so badly affected?

On top of that, divorce is a costly and drawn-out process – a headache no one wants to deal with unless absolutely necessary. Having an affair is a cheaper and more accessible alternative, so it’s not surprising that numbers have shot up this year.”

More than 1.5 million people have registered with IllicitEncounters since it started in 2003.

The average income of men on the site is £56,000 a year – with most working in professional jobs – while the female average is £48,000 a year.

The UK’s top 20 cheating hotspots
 

1. Frome, Somerset – 1,309 cheats (7.32% of the town’s population)

2. Weybridge, Surrey – 946 cheats (5.95%)

3. Wilmslow, Cheshire – 1,484 cheats (5.77%)

4. Fulwood, Lancashire – 1,684 cheats (5.73%)

5. Egham, Surrey – 422 cheats (5.72%)

6. Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire – 1,288 cheats (5.53%)

7. Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire – 526 cheats (5.35%)

8. Caerphilly, Caerphilly – 1,998 cheats (5.31%)

9. Leatherhead, Surrey – 589 cheats (5.21%)

10. Motherwell, North Lanarkshire – 1,447 cheats (5.14%)

11. Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire – 847 cheats (5.11%)

12. Redhill, Surrey – 1382 cheats (4.89%)

13. Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire – 1,222 cheats (4.87%)

14. Arnold, Nottinghamshire – 1,946 cheats (4.87%)

15. Newton Abbot, Devon – 1,019 cheats (4.86%)

16. Kidsgrove, Staffordshire – 1,040 cheats (4.82%)

17. Chorley, Lancashire – 1,430 cheats (4.82%)

18. Farnham, Surrey – 1,007 cheats (4.80%)

19. Warwick, Warwickshire – 1,226 (4.77%)

20. Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire – 1,043 cheats (4.71%)

The UK’s top 10 most faithful towns
 

1. Blackpool, Lancashire – 570 cheats (0.38% of the town’s population)

2. Brentwood, Essex – 296 cheats (0.39%)

3. Wigan, Greater Manchester – 965 cheats (0.40%)

4. Craigavon, Craigavon – 229 cheats (0.43%)

5. Hartlepool, County Durham – 339 cheats (0.47%)

6. Ballymena, Ballymena – 103 cheats (0.49%)

7. Barry, Angus – 222 cheats (0.50%)

8. Bournemouth, Dorset – 780 cheats (0.51%)

9. Paignton, Devon – 272 cheats (0.51%)

10. Washington, Tyne and Wear – 296 cheats (0.54%)

* 1 in 3 people admit to having an affair in the third year of marriage

* Top reasons for the breakdown of relationships in the first three years include lack of intimacy, having children and boredom.

* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site

If you’re married or in a long-term relationship, you’ll almost definitely have heard about the concept of the seven-year itch – that moment when the initial excitement fades and cracks start appearing. Well, it turns out that in this fast-paced world, couples come to a crossroads much sooner, something that the contestants of Married at First Sight UK, might want to keep in mind as the new season begins.

According to research conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, who surveyed 2,000 of its members, 33% of married people turn to cheating in the third year of marriage.

Shockingly, 7% of people start having an affair in the first year as husband or wife, barely leaving time for the confetti to settle.

But, what causes such a strain on relationships so early on that people feel the need to fall back on infidelity? The poll found nearly half (48%) of married people blame a lack of intimacy for the downfall of their marriage. Having children (23%) and boredom (16%) were also cited as major factors in the breakdown of relationships.

Chloe, 36, from Aberdeen, who recently joined the married dating site IllicitEncounters.com, said, “If you asked me three years ago whether I could see myself cheating on my husband, I’d have laughed in your face. I was madly in love, there was so much passion, and I couldn’t have been happier on my wedding day. 

I think it was the routine that zapped away all of the excitement and lust though. The spontaneity at the beginning of our marriage completely died out, and everything just became so predictable: wake up, peck on the cheek, go to work, come home, peck on the cheek, have dinner, watch TV, peck on the cheek, go to sleep. In the third year of being husband and wife, that’s when the cycle just got too much for me and I decided to get my thrills elsewhere.”

Sex and relationships expert at IllicitEncounters.com, Jessica Leoni, commented, “People have always believed in the seven-year itch, but then there was talk of the four-year itch, and now the stats show the restlessness kicks in after just three years.

For the MAFS contestants, it’s really important they’re aware of these figures as they navigate their way through their new marriages: getting married at first sight has its own challenges, but they’ll see fresh ones arise as the years go by. Marriages aren’t easy.

Couples might find that they start taking each other for granted more, and routine can make you feel like you’ve just got your relationship on autopilot. But, it’s during that third year of marriage that a desire for something new creeps in, wondering what life would be like outside of the relationship.

You could try to rediscover the sparks that brought you together in the first place. Having a go at something new together, or even just spicing things up in the bedroom can work wonders for a relationship. Ultimately, though, the itch gets a bit too much to ignore for some, and they’ll only get relief from all that scratching through infidelity.”

 * 22% year-on-year increase in new sign-ups on extramarital dating site IllicitEncounters.com as children return to school

* Parents of primary school kids are most likely to be starting an affair (62%) of which 40% are first-timers

* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading married dating site
 

With the great British summer winding down, parents all over the UK are experiencing a wave of mixed emotions as schools reopen after the long break. For some, it’s a time of anxiety and uncertainty as their little ones timidly walk through the school gates for the first time. For others, it’s a moment of celebration, a happy return to peace and quiet, and a chance to regain a bit of sanity lost during the summer holiday. 

But with that sudden silence that falls upon homes after months of summer chaos, comes an unexpected shift in the mindset of parents. 

According to data released by IllicitEncounters.com, September doesn’t only signal new beginnings for the kids, mums and dads across the country are taking part in their own extracurricular activities too.

Registrations for the married dating site have seen a sharp increase in the first 10 days of September, with a 22% year-on-year rise in sign-ups.

Women in particular are flocking to the site, accounting for a hefty 71% of new registrations.

IllicitEncounters.com surveyed 500 recently active users and found that parents of primary school children are the worst offenders, as they’re declared the most likely to be starting an affair (62%), with 40% of them saying it’s their first time entering the world of cheating.

Lizzie from Oxford, a mum who recently joined the married dating site said, “Suddenly I’ve got all this free time on my hands during the day. The loneliness during school hours has already started kicking in, and to be honest, it’s revealed a world of opportunities and temptations I hadn’t considered before. 

My marriage went stale years ago, and at this point we’re staying together for the benefit of my child, but only now have I started realising that I can’t keep plodding along aimlessly. I want to live, I want to be appreciated, and I want to spend those few free hours during the day getting to know men who understand where I’m coming from.”

Alice from Southampton who also uses the website said, “The routine of school life seems to cast a massive shadow on my marriage every September, making me question the choices I’d made and the desires I keep hidden from my other half. 

Every year, the thrill of breaking the routine just becomes too tempting to resist. Don’t get me wrong, I had an amazing summer break in Spain playing happy families with my husband, but now he’s gone back to work and I’m back to sorting out the kids’ packed lunches – it’s just so dull. 

Some people might think I’m selfish but I need this for my own sanity – I love my kids like crazy, and I’m sure they’d rather see me looking chipper after a secret rendezvous than seeing me depressed lying on the sofa.”

When asked to comment on the data, sex and relationship expert Jessica Leoni responded, “This is a really interesting trend we often see in September. The return to routine can bring feelings of restlessness and the desire for new experiences. Women, in particular stay-at-home mums, find themselves with more available time as their children go back to school, which can lead to increased curiosity and opportunities for discreet exploration.

Summer holidays are also a massive driving force when it comes to turning to infidelity.  Spending extended periods of time with family can sometimes lead to heightened tensions and increased stress within relationships that were perhaps already looking a little shaky. 

Many of our members are looking to find sparks that have been missing over the summer, and with the kids returning to school, parents are breathing a sigh of relief as they regain some freedom and much-deserved ‘me’ time.”

 * Spike in number of people using no-fault divorce as an excuse to cheat on partners 

* 51% of men are more relaxed about having an affair since divorce law changed in 2022

* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site

 

Once a messy matter with a focus on finger-pointing, divorce has recently had a makeover. In the past, couples would throw each other under the bus, airing their dirty laundry in public during courtroom showdowns. Now, it’s a completely different story.

Back in April 2022, the ‘Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020’ (aka, the no-fault divorce law) was introduced in the UK, allowing couples to call it quits without having to play the blame game. But, it seems no-fault divorce is having an unexpected effect by opening the door to infidelity like never before.

According to recent data from IllicitEncounters.com, more cheaters than ever are using no-fault divorce as a get-out-of-jail-free card, with the married dating site reportedly seeing a massive 87% increase in membership since the laws changed.

Adultery was one of the five reasons you had to cite for splitting up before no-fault divorce came into force – but now you don’t need to provide a reason for divorce nor show evidence of cheating, making it a win-win situation for loverats.

When IllicitEncounters.com polled 2,000 of its members, the results showed men in particular are making the most of the new divorce laws, with 51% saying they feel more relaxed about having an affair now, compared to 32% of women.

Interestingly, people aged between 35-44 were most likely to be up for an affair now that no-fault divorce is a thing.

Paul, 41, from Bristol who took part in the poll said, “Back in the day, cheating was a red line I wouldn’t have even considered crossing. There was definitely an element of fear or guilt that stopped me, but when issues in my marriage spiralled out of control, everything changed. Divorce had been on my mind for a good few years, but it just seemed way too messy, and knowing my wife, she’d never have agreed to it.

When the laws changed around divorce, that’s when my thoughts on infidelity took a U-turn. No-fault divorce almost gives me a safety net that makes me think ‘Why not?’. I’m basically being given the chance for an easier exit from my unhappy marriage! 

I joined IllicitEncounters knowing that I don’t have to worry about my actions anymore and having met one incredible woman in particular, I’m seriously considering using the new law to my advantage.”

When asked to comment on the results of the study, Jessica Leoni, sex and relationship expert at IllicitEncounters.com, said “The introduction of the no-fault divorce law has completely changed the way we view marriages. Despite being brought in to reduce the hostility and emotional turmoil linked to divorce, we’re now seeing a shift in mindset, with people seeing infidelity as less risky.

The new exit strategy for troubled marriages is undoubtedly helping individuals go down paths they’d perhaps never considered when it comes to cheating. The previous fear of blame that would deter couples from divorce has gone, and it appears society is making the most of it.”