Our Top 10 Facts
Research consistently shows that formal commitment — marriage and civil partnership — provides the strongest foundations for quality, long-term stability, especially for families with children. These ten facts highlight the evidence behind why commitment matters, how family stability shapes children’s outcomes, and why supporting relationships is both a social justice issue and a societal priority.
Married couples (including civil partners) are up to three times more likely to stay together compared with unmarried couples – regardless of whether and when they have children.
The poorest married parents are more stable than the richest cohabiting couples.
The marriage gap means poorer families are less likely to marry or form a civil partnership—and therefore less likely to benefit from the greater stability associated with formal commitment.
Nearly half of UK teens no longer live with both parents, driven more by the break-up of unmarried couples than by divorce.
Children’s GCSE results are affected as much by family stability as family economics.
Family breakdown is the strongest predictor of teenage mental health problems.
Despite popular misconceptions, divorce rates have been falling every year for over twenty years and are now at 1970 levels.
The majority of young adults still hope to marry.
Weddings typically cost £5–10k — far less than the myths suggest.
Drifting apart is the most cited reason for divorce & not “high conflict” – mend it, don’t end it.