New divorce figures for 2019 have been released by ONS. They show a rise of 18% from the previous year, which doesn’t sound good … at first.
Our response
“The 18% rise in divorces reported in 2019 by ONS is a statistical anomaly, reflecting the unwinding of delays in the legal system from the previous year.
The reality is that divorce rates remain at or close to the lowest levels in 50 years.
Today’s marriages are doing well.
For example, the actual divorce rate for couples who married in 2014 are 53% lower during their first five years of marriage than couples who married in the late 1980s or early 1990s when divorce rates peaked. Only those who married prior to 1971 have done better. Divorce rates for couples in their second five years of marriage are down 24% from the peak.
As social pressure to marry has all but disappeared, those who do marry today are serious about it. The success of marriage compared to informal cohabitation shows the crucial role of commitment in stability. If you want reliable love, you need to commit.”
Harry Benson, Research Director, Marriage Foundation
Daily Telegraph: “IN SPITE OF” these figures, Harry Benson, research director of the Marriage Foundation said: Today’s marriages are doing well