Whilst establishing our USP as the UK’s prime source for reliable, in-depth research and comment on marriage, commitment and the family, we have produced some 70 research reports and briefing notes, sometimes in collaboration with professors of social science both in the UK and USA.
With over 1300 media appearances, including interviews, articles and quotations, we have consistently penetrated public debate via all main news and current affairs programmes, national newspapers, magazines, and local and talk radio stations.
Over the next few years our particular focus will be on the glaring “Marriage Gap”: why the rich marry and the poor don’t. Our research director, Harry Benson, is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Bristol exploring this whole subject.
We have made great progress in our first decade, BUT there is still much to do and we would really value your support via a contribution to the campaign.
Very many thanks.
Our previous analysis of data from the Family Resources Survey reveals that, among mothers with children under 5, 87% of those in higher-income groups are married compared to just 24% of those in lower-income groups – i.e., “The Marriage Gap” (Aug 2015).
The Marriage Gap
% of new mothers who are married, by income
Marriage is a social justice issue because the Marriage Gap leads to unnecessarily high levels of family breakdown among the poorest who need stability most. When couples split up, family resources become diluted and lone parent families are especially vulnerable to poverty.
In short, we will never get to grips with poverty until we confront the role of family stability.
In our tenth anniversary analysis of data from the UK Longitudinal Household Survey, we found that the probability of parents splitting up during any 1-year period between 2009 and 2018 was more than THREE TIMES higher if they were not married.
Married parents: On average, 1.9% of married parents split up in any given year (1.0% among the richest to 2.8% of the poorest).
Cohabiting parents: On average, 6.5% of cohabiting parents split up in any given year (2.9% among the richest to 8.9% of the poorest).
Even after taking into account a mother’s age, education, ethnicity, household income and relationship happiness, the odds of splitting up if not married were still nearly DOUBLE.
In other words, even the poorest, married parents achieve greater stability than the richest, cohabiting parents.
% of parents who split up during a 1-year period
UKLHS 2009-10, 2011-12, 2013-14, 2015-16, 2017-18
by marital status and household income
Our analysis of data from 10,929 mothers with 14-year-old children in the Millennium Cohort Study reveals how family breakdown is the single biggest factor in teenage mental health problems for girls and equal top factor for boys (along with parental relationship happiness) (Nov 2017).
High levels of mental health problems aged 14
by sex and parental marital status
Marriage bonds couples together. It provides the strongest platform of reliability and stability from which families can maximise their financial resources as well as love, time, potential and innate abilities. It boosts well-being and it buffers against poverty.
BUT the poorest are put off marriage by policymakers who, whilst invariably embracing it in their private lives, are indifferent in their public statements, and by perverse incentives in government welfare policy – a ‘couple penalty’ – that financially disincentivises marriage or indeed any formal commitment.
In short, marriage provides the best buffer against the risk of family breakdown and thus increased poverty. And this is why marriage is a social justice issue, and why Marriage Foundation has been, and remains, an unashamed champion of marriage.
Marriage is still overwhelmingly popular: In our survey of young unmarried adults aged 18-30, more than 80% said they ‘would like to get married at some point in their life’ (May 2021).
Meeting online: One in four couples now meet online, but our survey of married adults over 30 found that they face six times greater divorce risk in their first few years compared to those who met through family and friends. This highlights the importance of social capital (Oct 2021).
Wedding costs: They are now in the range of £5,000-£10,000, far below the £30,000 figure often advertised by ‘big wedding’ magazines. This myth-busting research is especially important because ‘cost of wedding’ is put as one of the biggest reasons couples say they haven’t married (Feb 2022).
Divorce rates are now at their lowest level since the 1960s: As social pressure to marry has disappeared, those who do marry are more committed (Feb 2021).
A ‘divorce boom’ following the pressures of lockdown? There is no hard evidence for this. In fact, survey data suggests married parents have coped amazingly well. The group who has struggled most has been cohabiting mothers, who face the most ambiguity in their relationships (Feb 2021).
We have made great progress in our first decade, BUT there is still much to do and we would really value your support via a contribution to the campaign.
Very many thanks.
When couples split up, families move from one to two households. Poverty is a common outcome that affects children. Six out of ten lone parents are supported by the state compared to one out of ten couple parents. That's where most of the £50bn is spent.
Five years ago, the UK had the highest rate of family breakdown in Europe. We're not doing as badly today, but only because of big falls in divorce rates. Alas there's no sign of a similar improvement among cohabitees
Divorce rates have plummeted over the past 3 decades, but the number of lone parents has doubled in the same period. Why?... Because unmarried parents make up only one in five cohabiting parents but are responsible for one half of all family breakdown.
Whereas stability is the norm if parents are married (75% stay together), it is the exception if they are not (30% stay together). As a result, among parents of teens who are still together as a couple, nine out of ten are married
The single most important factor in a child’s healthy development is the stable relationship of the parents. Our groundbreaking research shows that family breakdown is the #1 predictor of teenage mental health problems.
The Marriage Foundation is registered as a charity in England and Wales.
Registered charity number: 1150453
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