Marriages among opposite-sex couples hits record low in UK

New statistics show the number of men and women marrying each other has fallen to its lowest level on record.

The number of opposite-sex couples getting married has fallen to the lowest level in history, new official figures show.

A total of 235,910 opposite-sex marriages were registered in England and Wales in 2017- a decrease of 2.8% compared with 2016.

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The number has fallen by 45% since 1972, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Overall, there were 242,842 marriages during 2017 - 2.8% less than 2016.

Kanak Ghosh, from the ONS, said: "Marriage rates for opposite-sex couples are now at the lowest level on record.

"This continues a gradual long-term decline seen since the early 1970s, with numbers falling by a third over the past 40 years."

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Toby Yerburgh, partner and head of family law at Collyer Bristow, added: "One has to ask whether the institution will survive the current lockdown which has ruined so many people's wedding plans this year."

"As couples eat into their savings for necessities, unlike divorces which seem set to increase, it is likely that marriages (particularly ones involving expensive wedding ceremonies) will continue to become increasingly rare.

"This makes the necessity for properly thought-through legislation regarding cohabitees' rights, which has currently been stalled in Parliament for over a year, all the more pressing."

In 2017, there were 21.2 marriages per 1,000 unmarried men and 19.5 marriages per 1,000 unmarried women aged 16 years and over.

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The average age at which opposite-sex couples got married was 38 for men and 35 for women.

In 2017, there were 6,932 marriages of same-sex couples of which 56% were between female couples and 44% between two men.

A further 1,072 couples converted their existing civil partnership into a marriage, according to the ONS.

The figures also show less than a quarter (22%) of all marriages in 2017 were religious ceremonies - the lowest percentage on record.

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Civil marriages have outnumbered religious marriages every year since 1992.

Alice Rogers, a solicitor with Hall Brown Family Law, said the figures appeared to show a gulf in how different age groups prioritise marriage.

She said: "Many younger couples find themselves still trying to clear their student debts, saving to get on the property ladder and starting careers, and so question the expense of a wedding, especially when they see many of their peers choosing to cohabit instead.

"On the other hand, individuals over the age of 55 seem to grasp more clearly the benefits of marriage, even if they've already been through the pain of divorce.

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"The figures suggest that women are driving marriage in later life.

"For some, that will be down to their desire for a companion to enjoy retirement with but there are also those women who want the financial security and independence which goes with it.

"Being married offers partnership and some peace of mind in that respect."

Marriage rates are the number of marriages per 1,000 unmarried men and women aged 16 years and over, with official records stretching back to 1862.

Additional reporting by Press Association