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 20 July 2008 18:12 BST

Marriage rates at 150-year low in England and Wales

Wednesday, 26 Mar 2008 13:29
Marriage levels in England and Wales at lowest since records began
The number of people getting married in England and Wales has fallen to its lowest level since records began in 1862.

Official statistics show that in 2006 the marriage rate was 22.8 men marrying per 1,000 unmarried men aged 16 and over and 20.5 women per 1,000 unmarried women aged 16 and over.

In comparison, in 2005 the rate was 24.5 per every 1,000 and 21.9 per every 1,000 for men and women, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) said.

Overall the number of marriages in England and Wales fell by four per cent in 2006 to 236,980 – the lowest number of annual unions since 1895.

The ONS said new laws that came into force in February 2005 which discouraged "sham marriages" could be behind the historic lows.

"This is one of many factors that may have contributed to the fall in the number of marriages in 2006 and 2005," a spokesperson said.

Today's provisional statistics also show the average age for a man to marry is 36 years and five months and 33 years and nine months for women.

Since 1991 the mean average for marriages has increased by five years for men and four and a half years for women.

In 2006 the number of marriages involving religious ceremonies slipped seven per cent to a third of all marriages.

The number of religious ceremonies have halved since 1991, the ONS added.

In accompanying figures, the agency said divorce rates were also falling; down eight per cent in England and Wales in 2005 compared to the previous year.End of story


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