partnerships

Marriage

• Marriage rates are at their lowest since the 1920s.

• In 2012, there were 175,000 first marriages — less than half the number in 1970.

• One-third of marriages in 2012 were remarriages, leading to ‘serial monogamy’.

• Average age of first marriage rose by 7 years between 1971 and 2012 (32 for men, 30 for women).

• Fewer couples marry in church — down from 60% in 1981 to 30% in 2012.

Reasons for Changing Patterns of Marriage

• Changing attitudes: Less pressure to marry; relationship quality valued over legal status.

• Secularisation: Decline in religious influence makes marriage less obligatory.

• Declining stigma: Cohabitation, singlehood, and children outside marriage are more accepted.

• Position of women: Greater independence and feminist critiques reduce incentive to marry.

• Fear of divorce: Rising divorce rates discourage marriage.

Reasons for Other Changes in Marriage Patterns

• Remarriages: Driven by rising divorce rates, creating a pool of divorcees available to re-marry.

• Age on marrying: Young people delay marriage due to education and career priorities.

• Church weddings: Less common due to secularisation and church refusal to marry divorcees.

Cohabitation

• Cohabiting couples with children are a fast-growing family type.

• 2.9 million heterosexual cohabiting couples in Britain — double the 1996 figure.

• 69,000 same-sex cohabiting couples.

• One-fifth of cohabitants are ‘serial cohabitants’ with previous cohabiting relationships.

Reasons for the Increase in Cohabitation

• Decline in stigma around sex outside marriage — 65% approved by 2012 (up from 44% in 1989).

• Young people are more accepting of cohabitation.

• Women’s career opportunities reduce dependence on marriage for financial security.

• Secularisation: Non-religious individuals more likely to cohabit.

The Relationship Between Cohabitation and Marriage

• Cohabitation can be a step towards marriage or a permanent alternative.

• Chester: Most cohabiting couples intend to marry.

• Coast (2006): 75% of cohabitants expect to marry each other.

• Some cohabit as a trial before marriage or while awaiting divorce.

• Bejin (1985): Some young people cohabit to create more equal relationships.

• Shelton and John (1993): Cohabiting women do less housework than married women.

• Cohabitation varies widely — not a uniform experience.

Same-Sex Relationships

• Stonewall (2012): 5–7% of adults have same-sex relationships.

• Past stigma and illegality made such relationships less visible.

• Legal milestones:

  • 1967: Male homosexual acts decriminalised.

  • 2002: Equal adoption rights for cohabiting couples.

  • 2004: Civil Partnership Act granted legal rights similar to marriage.

  • 2014: Same-sex marriage legalised.

• Weeks (1999): Gays create ‘chosen families’ based on friendship-as-kinship.

• Weston (1992): Same-sex cohabitation now resembles ‘quasi-marriage’ — more stable than 1970s casual lifestyle.

Legal Framework and Flexibility

• Allan and Crow: Lack of legal framework led same-sex couples to negotiate roles more flexibly.

• Einasdottir (2011): Some fear legal recognition may reduce relationship flexibility.

One-Person Households

• 2013: 7.7 million people lived alone — nearly triple the 1961 figure.

• 40% of one-person households are over 65.

• Pensioner one-person households have doubled; non-pensioners tripled.

• Men under 65 most likely to live alone.

• By 2033, over 30% of adults will be single and never married.

Reasons for the Rise in One-Person Households

• Divorce and separation increase solo living, especially among men.

• Fewer marriages and later marriage age contribute to single living.

• Some choose ‘creative singlehood’ — living alone by choice.

• Others are single due to lack of available partners, especially older widows.

Living Apart Together (LATS)

• Duncan and Phillips (2013): 1 in 10 adults are in a LAT relationship.

• Half of those officially classified as single are actually in LATs.

• LATs reflect a shift toward less formalised relationships and ‘families of choice’.

• Reasons include financial constraints, desire for independence, past relationship trauma, or early-stage relationships.

• Public attitudes are positive:

  • Majority believe couples don’t need to live together for a strong relationship.

  • 20% see LATs as their ideal relationship — more than those who prefer cohabitation.

• LATs are no longer seen as abnormal and don’t necessarily reject traditional relationships.