LONDON, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- More than half of 2,000 people in a British survey admitted to staying in unhappy marriages to avoid money and emotional troubles.

The survey indicated 59 percent of wives would leave their husbands if financial stability was not a problem, while 51 percent of husbands said their marriages were loveless, The Daily Mail reported Thursday.

Seddons, a leading law firm in London, created the marriage survey after a flood of divorce requests came in early in January.

"Worryingly, some 60 percent of people in the survey were not aware of how mediation can be used to improve communication between the parties, minimize the impact of divorce and keep legal fees to a minimum," said Seddons Solicitors' Denorah Jeff.

Fifty percent of those surveyed said they would consider counseling in efforts to repair their relationships before getting a divorce.