Family Statistics

Marriages - The average age of first marriage is 32 for men and 30 for women. The majority (69%) of divorces are to couples where it is a first marriage for both. 68% of divorces are granted to women, the most common reasons are behaviour, adultery and separation for at least 2 years.

Children - 53% of divorces involve children, almost two thirds of whom are under 10 years of age. In 2006 126,030 children experienced the divorce of their parents. More than 3/4 of children grow up in a family headed by a couple. 45% of all live births are outside of marriage.

Lone Parents - Almost 1/4 of children grow up in a family headed by a lone parent and most lone parent families are headed by the mother.

Step-families - 10% of families are step-families. When forming step-families most children will stay with their biological mother and her new partner (over 80%) compared with their biological father. Of cohabiting couple families, 38% are step-families compared to 8% of married families that are step-families. Married couple step-families were more likely than cohabiting couple step-families to have natural children in the family as well as step-children, 57% compared with 35% in 2001.

Cohabitation - 70% of first partnerships are now cohabitations and around 1/4 of people under the age of 60 years of age are cohabiting. About 50% - 60% of cohabiting partnerships end in marriage. 20% of births are jointly registered to unmarried parents who live at the same address.

Ethnicity - All cultural groups have differing patterns of family structure. Cohabitation is most common in White, Mixed Race and Black Caribbean families. Married couple families are highest in Indian, Bangladeshi, Chinese, Pakistani and Other Asian Groups.