The 100,000 missing lockdown weddings
The 9% decrease in 2023 opposite-sex weddings, reported today by the Office for National Statistics, conceals the long tail of lockdown. At least 100,000 couples whose weddings were cancelled during lockdown may still not have rearranged their weddings. Compared to 2019, the year before lockdown, there has been a combined surplus of just 18,000 weddings […]
Half a year’s marriages are still missing
Lockdown’s missing marriages The latest figures for marriages in England & Wales in 2021 and 2022 were released today by the Office for National Statistics. The figures show a significant rebound from the 61% fall in 2020. Britain’s lockdown policies led the biggest drop in weddings in Europe. By comparison, our neighbouring countries in Western […]
Married couple families still the majority, finds ONS
Marriages or civil partnerships represent two thirds of all families in 2023 in the UK, according to new figures released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Families and Households. Married families comprise 66 percent of all families, 62 percent of families with children, 79 percent of all couples and 82 percent of […]
The Morality of Marriage
BBC Radio 4’s Moral Maze Marriage Foundation research director Harry Benson makes the case for marriage in response to searching questions from the panel (10 minute listen starts 26:40 ends 36:25) Click here to take you to the programme on BBC Sounds
Married adults now less than half of the population
PRESS RELEASE … IMMEDIATE The latest population estimates from the Office for National Statistics show that the proportion who are married has fallen below half for the first time. Societies throughout history have encouraged marriage because they know it’s the most effective method for bonding men with the mothers of their future children. The psychology […]
The church has surrendered on marriage
Today marks the launch of the Church of England’s report on Families and Households. You can download and read the report for yourself here. We contributed extensively to the commission and one of our contributions actually makes a highlighted appearance on page 44, without a namecheck. The relevant section is pages 31-58. Alas the title […]
Shaun Bailey on marriage
Watch the full video here Politicians I am stood here today because quite frankly I’m astonished that other politicians don’t speak about marriage publicly in a positive way. As a politician there are many things that you try to body swerve because they’re just not worth the effort. But I’m astonished that marriage is seen […]
Why the act of marriage makes a difference
This is one of several talks I gave in Prague in February 2022 to celebrate Czech marriage week (reading time 10 minutes) It would be easy to think that marriage is on the way out. Indeed many prominent commentators think exactly that. After all, marriage rates have been falling across the developed world since the […]
Couples Talk – 8th Feb – 8pm LIVE!
UPDATE: you can listen to the full talk here Coming up on 8th February 8-9pm… with optional Q&A until 9.30pm Bringing you an hour of open, engaging conversation via Zoom to give you inspiration, hope and practical insights for your relationship Harry & Kate Benson JOIN us for an hour of raw, real life relationship […]
Why couples should get married
Everybody wants reliable love. Adults want it. Children want it. So it’s in everybody’s interests to find out what gives us our best chance of achieving this. According to commitment theory, there are two forces or bonds that keep couples together. DEDICATION is the internal bond between two people representing their new identity as a […]