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Fall in divorce rate for newlyweds (24 February 2014)

Date: 24/02/2014
Duncan Lewis, Family Solicitors, Fall in divorce rate for newlyweds

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the divorce rate for couples in the early years of marriage is at its lowest since the 1970s.

Analysts suggest that the fall in the number of couples divorcing in the first 10 years of marriage may be a major factor in the increasing stability of marriage – with couples faltering as a result of the traditional “seven-year itch” deceasing by one-fifth in the last 15 years.

Divorce laws were reformed in the early 1970s, making divorce much easier – after the reforms, the number of couples divorcing when their marriage hit the seven-year itch period was estimated at around 14% between 1978 and 1981.

However the peak year for divorce was 1991, which coincided with the property bubble and escalating mortgage interest rates in the UK.

Some analysts are claiming that the acceptability of living together means that men who eventually marry are much more committed than they otherwise might be – or their fathers were. The ONS figures suggest that couples co-habiting before marriage may be a factor in the increasing longevity of marriages in the UK.

The Marriage Foundation said that, in the last 20 years, co-habiting before marriage had taken the pressure off men to commit early in a relationship.

The ONS data revealed that divorces are now less likely to be instigated by wives – possibly because the figures show men are more committed in marriage and are less likely to be unfaithful than previous generations of men.

The number of wives filing for divorce has fallen by one-third since the early 1990s – and analysts again suggest this may be because husbands are now les likely to have extra-marital affairs or leave their wives.

In 2012, a total of 76,490 divorces were initiated by wives – in 2003, the number was 106,000.

However, the first 10 years of being married are still the most testing for couples – and divorce is most likely to occur in the first decade of marriage, despite the fall recorded in the number of couples who divorce within the first 10 years.

Couples who married in 2005 had a 14% chance of divorcing in 2012, compared with a 17% chance of divorce for those who married in the late 1980s and 1990s.

However, couples marrying in 2005 were one-fifth less likely to divorce than couples who married in the peak divorce year of 1991.

The ONS data also suggested that the fact couples are now marrying when older may be another factor in the increasing stability of marriage. The report says that the age when individuals first marry is steadily increasing – and previous research indicates that people who marry later in life are less likely to divorce.

Duncan Lewis Divorce Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of divorce solicitors and can advise on family and childcare law, including:

• Ancillary payments
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• Domestic violence
• International marriages
• Islamic family and childcare law.

For expert legal advice on family and childcare law under both UK law and Islamic family law, contact Duncan Lewis divorce solicitors on 020 7923 4020.


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