Marriage down, divorce up in England.
Marriage is under attack around the world. Here are a few facts reflecting marriage and divorce trends in England. These stats are probably similar to those found in many developed nations.
- Did you know more people were married in the UK in 1862 than were married in 2011. 1862 was the first year records were kept of England’s marriage rates.
- in 1996, there were 1.6 million people between the ages of 45-62 living alone. By 2012, that number had increased to 2.4 million — an 800,000 increase.
- In 2012, there were 7.6 million people living by themselves. In 1996, the number was 6.6 million. The number of people living alone in England has been increasing steadily since the 1990s.
Part of the problem stems from England’s government policy that discriminates against married couples. For example, England’s benefits system pays out greater benefits to single parents than married couples. In addition, council taxes are 25% lower for people living on their own. Thankfully, the government has recognized the problem and recently introduced a one thousand pound tax break for married couples expected to be introduced in 2015.
Single parents on the increase in England
In a previous post, I reported on the growing trend of unmarried mothers in England. According to the England’s Office for National Statistics in 2012, 47.5% of the children in England were born to unwed mothers. Providing the is trend continues, by 2016 the majority of English children will be born to unmarried mothers. Read full story
Considering the potential negative consequences for children raised in a single parent homes, the ramifications for the next generation are disturbing.
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