ONS has released new population estimates of marital status and living arrangement in England & Wales from 2002 to 2019
Here’s what Marriage Foundation Research Director Harry Benson has to say:
“The number of people who are married in England & Wales remains at over 23 million, close to the highest levels since 2002. Despite the slow trend away from marriage, our analysis of these new data show that 78% of all couples in 2019 were married.
“Among those in their 30s, 67% of men and 72% of women living in a couple were married. For those in their 40s, 80% of men and 82% of women were married. For those in their 50s, it was 84% and 85% respectively; for those in their 60s, it was 90% and 92%, and for those over 70, it was 96% and 95%.
“Some may be surprised that such high proportions of couples are married when the popularity of marriage is in long term decline. The truth is that while cohabiting may be popular it is also profoundly unstable in the long term. The result is that as time passes, more and more of those who remain as couples are married.
“If you want reliable love, at some stage you have to make a commitment. Whatever people may think about marriage, the reality is that it’s still by far the best way to stay together for life.”
Harry Benson, Research Director Marriage Foundation