covid Archives - Marriage Foundation

Different pages: Unmarried parents in lockdown

Most cohabiting dads did pretty well during lockdown. Many of their partners did not. One of the more striking findings from our analysis of relationships during lockdown is the way

Divorce boom? No chance

According to media reports, marriages are cracking under the strain of lockdown and divorce rates are soaring. In August, Mailonline reported a divorce boom in the US. In September BBC

Why did so many cohabiting mums have relationship problems during lockdown?

Our new research shows that 20% of parent relationships improved, 70% stayed the same, and 10% worsened during lockdown. But cohabiting mums have struggled far more than anybody. Why? There’s

The future of marriage post-covid

Marriage rates will more than rebound after lockdown ends as couple reevaluate their lives. But will this be the start of a new uptrend? Marriage rates in the UK are

Living with uncertainty

Now that we’re a few weeks into lockdown, I’ve been thinking a lot about how this pandemic might be affecting the way we do relationships now and in the future.

In banning weddings, government has unintentionally banned marriages

Several people have written to me to ask how they can get married. Under the new coronavirus law, weddings are banned. As a result, churches and civil registrars have both

Family breakdown costs £50bn a year

Family breakdown costs the UK an estimated £50 billion every year — most of which is spent supporting families who move from one to two households when relationships end. Beyond the financial cost, the social and emotional toll on children can be lifelong.

UK Among highest family breakdown in Europe

The UK continues to experience some of the highest levels of family breakdown in Europe. While divorce rates have declined, this improvement has not been matched among cohabiting couples, who remain significantly more likely to separate.

Lower Divorce Rates – Higher Lone Parents

Divorce rates have fallen dramatically over the past three decades. Yet over the same period, the number of lone-parent families has doubled — because couples who live together without marrying or forming a civil partnership are three times more likely to separate than those who do.

Formal commitment is strongly associated with family stability

Stability remains the norm when parents are married or in a civil partnership — around

75% stay together as their children grow up, compared with 30% of cohabiting parents. The act of formal commitment changes how couples think and behave about their relationship, creating a foundation that is more likely to endure.

The parents’ relationship plays a vital role in children’s development

The single most important factor in a child’s healthy development is the stability of their parents’ relationship. Our research consistently shows that family breakdown is the strongest predictor of teenage mental health problems — and that formal commitment through marriage or civil partnership offers the best protection against this instability.

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