Tag: Blue Monday

Today is the day that people are more likely to start having an affair than any other time of the year

* Dubbed ‘Blue Monday for relationships’, the 5th January marks the day most people turn to infidelity after festive tensions expose cracks in their relationships.
* New registrations on IllicitEncounters.com are forecast to rise by 38% by the end of this week, prompting the site to bring in additional staff for the second consecutive year to cope with demand.
* 71% say ending an unhappy relationship is a top priority this year, while 56% admit having more sex is high on their 2026 to-do list.

As the decorations come down and reality bites, today is the day more Brits will choose to pursue an affair than any other day of the year, according to relationship experts – and it’s all driven by post-holiday blues and a desire for a fresh start.

The 5th January has been dubbed ‘Blue Monday for relationships’ – sharing the spotlight with Divorce Day, as both land on the first working Monday of the year.  

According to new data from IllicitEncounters.com, registrations are forecast to be 38% higher by the end of this week, making this one of the site’s busiest starts to a year on record. The surge has been so significant that additional customer support staff have been drafted in for the second consecutive year to manage the influx of new members seeking an affair..

The site also surveyed 1,000 members who joined during the first few days of January, revealing the emotional drivers behind the spike. A striking 64% said the festive period made them realise how unhappy they were in their relationship, while 49% admitted that spending extended time with their partner over Christmas confirmed feelings they had been trying to ignore.

When asked about their priorities for the year ahead, 71% said leaving an unhappy relationship or starting divorce proceedings was at the top of their list, followed closely by having more sex (56%), feeling desired again (51%), and putting their own happiness first (47%).

One woman who joined the site this week, Sarah*, 39, from Leeds, says Christmas was the final straw. “On paper, we had a perfect Christmas – family visits, big dinners, presents – but I felt completely invisible the entire time,” she says. “We barely spoke unless it was about logistics. When January arrived, I realised I couldn’t go into another year feeling this lonely. Signing up felt like taking control again.”

Jessica Leoni, sex and relationships expert for IllicitEncounters.com, says the timing is no coincidence. “The festive chaos is over, routines return, and people suddenly have space to act. That combination of clarity, dissatisfaction and opportunity makes early January the most dangerous period of the year for struggling relationships.

The post-Christmas surge in activity on IllicitEncounters has become so consistent that, for the second consecutive year, we’ve needed additional staff to manage the influx of new members. It underlines just how significant early January has become in the relationship calendar.”

“Christmas has a way of magnifying everything that isn’t working in a relationship,” she explains. “There’s pressure to be happy, affectionate and grateful — and when the reality doesn’t match the picture, it can be deeply confronting. By early January, people are emotionally exhausted and far more honest with themselves about what they’re missing.”

She adds: “January represents a psychological reset. For some, that means diets or gym memberships — but for others, it’s about reclaiming intimacy, excitement and feeling wanted again.”

*Name has been changed.

People are more likely to start having an affair today than any other time of the year

* Dubbed ‘Blue Monday’ for relationships, the 6th January is the day that people turn to infidelity as a result of cracks revealed during the festive period.

* Registrations on married dating site IllicitEncounters.com are forecast to be up 33% compared to the same time last year, with the website struggling to keep up with the ‘unprecedented demand’.

* 37% of people who have joined the website since the start of 2025 say they did so in search of physical intimacy, 29% seek the thrill and excitement of an affair, and 21% are looking for emotional support.

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

Today is the day that people are most likely to have an affair. The 6th January, dubbed ‘Blue Monday’ for relationships, shares the spotlight with Divorce Day, as both land on the first working Monday of the year. 

Relationship experts warn that more people are likely to start having an affair today than any other time of the year, driven by post-holiday blues and a desire for a fresh start.

Leading affairs site, IllicitEncounters.com, has reported a staggering 33% increase in new member registrations compared to this time last year, with the trend expected to climb further as the week progresses. 

The website, which caters to those seeking discreet extramarital connections, has been overwhelmed by the influx. “It’s the busiest we’ve ever been. The start of a new year always prompts a spike, but 2025 has started off with unprecedented demand – in fact, we’ve admittedly been struggling to keep up with the surge in sign-ups, but we’ve got a team working around the clock to keep things running smoothly.” said IllicitEncounters.com spokesperson, Jessica Leoni.

To gain insight into the motivations driving this surge, the site conducted a poll of 500 newly registered members. Physical intimacy emerged as the top reason, cited by 37% of respondents, while 29% admitted to seeking the thrill and excitement of an affair. Meanwhile, 21% said they were looking for emotional support, a void left unfilled in their current relationships. A smaller percentage (5%) joined as an act of revenge after discovering their partner’s infidelity.

Kathy*, 38 from Brighton who joined the platform on New Year’s Day, shared her perspective, describing how she felt disillusioned after years of feeling invisible in her marriage. “It wasn’t an impulsive decision. I’ve been unhappy for a long time, and after the Christmas holidays, I realised I couldn’t keep pretending everything was fine,” she said. “I joined hoping to find someone who sees me, someone who brings joy back into my life. It’s not just about physical intimacy – although that’s important – it’s also about feeling wanted and valued again.”

According to IllicitEncounters.com’s spokesperson, Jessica Leoni, “The post-holiday period often exacerbates relationship tensions. People spend weeks in close quarters during the festive season, which can highlight existing cracks. January feels like a fresh start, and for some, that means exploring new connections, even outside their relationship.”

*Name has been changed.

8th January is the day people are most likely to start having an affair

* Dubbed Blue Monday for relationships, the 8th January is the day that people turn to infidelity as a result of cracks revealed during the festive period.
* Registrations on married dating site IllicitEncounters.com are forecast to be up 36% by the end of this week, forcing the company to employ extra staff to deal with the influx of new users.
* 71% of people say that getting a divorce or ending an unhappy relationship is a top priority in 2024, along with having more sex (56%).
* Survey conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site.

As the festive glitter settles and we embrace the start of 2024, it’s a time for setting goals with New Year’s resolutions – and having an affair is apparently high on the list for many people.

Today has officially been declared the moment when people are most likely to have an affair. The 8th January, dubbed Blue Monday for relationships, shares the spotlight with Divorce Day which lands on the first working Monday of the year. 

During the Christmas and New Year festivities, families are forced to spend more time together than any other period – a dangerous situation for already rocky relationships. The result: people are now considering whether the grass is greener outside of their marriage.

Extramarital dating site IllicitEncounters.com has revealed that registrations are forecast to be up 36% by the end of this week. In fact, there’s been such a demand that the website has reportedly had to employ more staff to deal with the uptick in new members.

To coincide with Blue Monday, the website polled 750 of people who registered within the last week, asking what their New Year’s resolutions for 2024 are, and it turns out that people aren’t just planning on eating well and exercising more this year. 

Surprisingly, the top resolution is getting a divorce or ending an unhappy relationship, with 71% declaring enough is enough. Whilst for more than half (56%) of those polled, the top priority for 2024 is to have more sex.

One member who joined the extramarital dating site this week, Juliette from Gloucester said, “This year, I’m putting ME first – the ultimate act of self-care! I’ve been with my husband for seven years, but I feel increasingly underappreciated and unhappy within our relationship. Nothing highlights that more than Christmas time, when I end up doing all the prep and he just sits on the sofa. I just feel like we’ve got to the point where we’d rather spend more time apart than together. 

So, my plan for 2024 is to grab the bull by the horns and make regaining my freedom a top priority by finally getting a divorce.”

Jessica Leoni, a spokesperson for IllicitEncounters.com and dating expert commented, “The festive period is one of the biggest annual hurdles couples have to face. With offices closed and the kids at home, the period from Christmas to New Year forces families to spend an intense amount of time together. As a result, it can shine a light on any relationship cracks, intensifying feelings of isolation or unfulfillment within a marriage.

Combine that with the fact that the start of a new year often prompts people to reflect on their lives, reassess their happiness, and contemplate change. For some, this introspection may lead to the realisation that their current relationships aren’t up to scratch.

It’s the perfect recipe for starting an affair – a spotlight on a faltering marriage + hopes for change and increased happiness = seeking new connections, new adventures and making potentially life-changing decisions. Is it any wonder divorce lawyers and extramarital dating sites are so hugely popular at this time of the year?”