Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Bill advances to third reading

UK marriages predicted to plummet 28% by 2050, report reveals

A study conducted on behalf of renowned City lawyers forecasts a 28% decline in UK marriages by 2050, signalling a seismic shift in British society’s approach to matrimony.

A report containing findings from the analysis has been published by Russell-Cooke, a London law firm. It projects that the annual number of marriages in the UK will fall from approximately 250,000 recorded in 2019 to around 175,137 by 2050.

This decline represents a continuation of a decades-long trend that has seen marriage rates drop significantly since their peak in the 1970s.

Leading with the title “UK Marriages Predicted to Decline to Historic Lows by 2050”, the report also reveals that:

  • In the 1970s, 7 in 10 people aged 16 and over were married, compared to just 4 in 10 today.
  • The marriage rate fell from 75 per 1,000 unmarried men and 60 per 1,000 unmarried women in 1972 to approximately 21 and 19 respectively in 2019.
  • By 2050, it is predicted that only about 3 in 10 people will be married.

The report also highlights changes in divorce patterns:

  • Divorce rates peaked in 1993 with 165,018 divorces, with approximately 1 in 3 marriages ending in divorce.
  • Recent data indicates that about 38% of marriages now end in divorce, down from a pandemic-era increase to 46% in 2021.
  • By 2050, it is anticipated that about 35% of marriages will end in divorce.

Kate Hamilton, Partner at Russell-Cooke, commented:

“All of these issues are very much live topics of conversation, policy and changing practice in the current family law world. There needs to be more of a focus on the law that applies to couples who cohabit rather than marry as at the moment the law is antiquated, complex and isn’t moving with these changing times. The current Government have committed to consider the area of cohabitation further but let’s see what 2025 brings.

As family lawyers we also need to be at the forefront of providing clarity on so many emerging family issues such as family wealth (through marital agreements), contributions to property (entering into a declaration of trust is key if you are buying a property with anyone), parenting agreements and agreements when couples are not married with children. Thinking about these things at the start of a relationship is much better then dealing with the fall out at the end, especially when the law is not keeping up with changing society.”

The report attributes these trends to various factors, including changing societal attitudes towards cohabitation, increased acceptance of diverse family structures, and evolving economic factors influencing personal choices.

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