More get married in search for family stability

MORE people are marrying in England and Wales.

Provisional data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) showed that the number of marriages went up by 3.7 per cent to 241,100 in 2010.

This represents the largest percentage increase since the 5.7 per cent rise recorded between 2002 and 2003, but is still one of the lowest marriage rates since they were first calculated in 1862.

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The report found that civil ceremonies accounted for more than two thirds of weddings (68 per cent) in 2010, compared to 64 per cent in 2000.

The highest number of marriages occurred between men and women aged from 25 to 29, while the largest increase in those getting married was in men aged between 45 and 49 and women aged 30 to 34, with both rising by 6 per cent.

The statistics relate only to marriages that take place in England and Wales in 2010, not those of residents who have their weddings overseas, which the ONS said could account for the figures and mean there was not actually a real rise.

The report said: “The increase in the numbers of marriages between 2009 and 2010 could be due to a reduction in the number of residents of England and Wales marrying abroad.

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“Population estimates by marital status indicate that there has been a 8 per cent decrease in the estimated number of marriages abroad, from an estimated 80,200 marriages in the year to mid-2009 to 74,000 in mid-2010.

“Marriages which would otherwise occur abroad may have taken place in England and Wales instead. It is not possible to determine at this stage whether the small rise in the provisional number of marriages in 2010 signifies an end to the long term decline of marriages or whether such increases will continue.”

The figures showed that the number of civil partnerships formed by same-sex couples in England and Wales also saw a slight rise in 2010 of 2 per cent, increasing to 5,804 compared with 5,687 in 2009.

The report added: “The overriding trend since 1970 has been a decline in both the number of marriages and the marriage rates. It is widely accepted that this trend is a likely consequence of two related socio-behavioural shifts.

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It said the economic downturn may have been a factor in delaying people from marrying, however it has also been suggested that during tough times people seek stability and family is valued more highly than material goods.

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