marriage

• • Fewer people are getting married.
  • Marriage rates in the UK are at their lowest since the 1920s.
  • The total number of marriages per year fell by more than half between 1972 and 2018.
• • There are more remarriages than ever before.
  • In 2018, 33% of all marriages were remarriages for either one or both partners.
• people are marrying later.

  • In 2019, the average age of first marriage was 34.3 for men and 32.3 for women, respectively; this is seven years later than in 1978.
• Couples are less likely to marry in church.

  • In 1970, 60% of weddings were conducted in a church; in 2018, only 20% of weddings were conducted in a church.
• Reasons for the changing trends for marriage

  • Changing attitudes and declining stigma.
  • There is less social pressure to marry today than in previous generations.
  • Individuals are able to choose the type of relationship they want; the quality of the relationship is more important than its legal status.
  • Cohabitation, remaining single, and having children outside of marriage are now widely regarded as socially acceptable behaviour.
• Reasons for the changing trends for marriage:

  • Secularisation
  • Religion as an institution has traditionally encouraged and supported marriage.
  • As the influence of religion declines, people choose not to marry.
• Reasons for the changing trends for marriage;

  • Changes to the position of women.
  • Women have more educational and career prospects than ever before; this makes women less economically dependent on men.
  • Women have greater freedom; they are able to choose to put their education and career goals first, and delay marriage, or choose not to pursue it entirely.
• Reasons for the changing trends for marriage;

  • Changes in law.
  • Policy changes, such as the Same Sex Couples Act 2014, made marriage to LGBTQ+ individuals.
  • If you make marriage more accessible, more individuals are likely to use it, and the total number of marriages will change.
• What are the other three reasons for the trend in marriage?

  1. The Fear of Divorce.
  2. Economic reasons.
  3. Cohabitation.
• The Fear of Divorce

  • The increasing rate of divorce may deter individuals from getting married; individuals may see 'no point' in getting married if most marriages will 'end in a divorce anyway'.
• Economic reasons

  • Weddings are expensive.
  • Average cost of a wedding in the UK in 2023 is £27,000.
• Cohabitation

  "an unmarried couple in a sexual relationship living together."

  While the number of marriages continues to decrease, the number of couples cohabiting is increasing.
• Cohabitation

  • Roughly one in seven heterosexual people in the UK today cohabit (3.5 million people).
  • Approximately 120,000 same-sex couples are cohabiting.
  • Cohabitating couples with children is a fast growing family type.
  • Between 2010 and 2020 the number of cohabiting opposite-sex couples with dependent children increased from 9% to 15%.
• Reasons for the increase in cohabitation

  • Changing attitudes and declining stigma.
  • The stigma attached to pre-marital sex is disappearing.
  • In 1989, 44% of people agreed with the statement "premarital sex is not all wrong", by 2012 this number rose to 65%.
  • Younger people are more likely to cohabit.
• Reasons for the increase in cohabitation

  • Secularisation
  • Religion as an institution has traditionally encouraged and supported marriage.
  • As the influence of religion declines, people choose not to marry.
  • Younger people with 'no religion' are more likely to cohabit than younger people who are religious.
• Reasons for the increase in cohabitation

  • Changes to the position of women.
  • Increased educational and career opportunities for women has led to increase financial independence.
  • Women are less likely to seek marriage as a form of financial security, and instead open for cohabitation.
• Reasons for the increase in cohabitation

  • Economic factors.
  • The rising cost of living may lead couples to live together before getting married.
  • Couples may also choose to live together in order to save for a wedding.
• Reasons for the increase in cohabitation

  • A 'trial marriage'.
  • Cohabitation is a trial for the marriage.
  • Individuals will cohabit to see if they are compatible living together before they decide to marry.
  • Most couples who are cohabiting with children decide to get married.
  • Cohabitation is a conscious attempt among younger people to create a more negotiated and equal relationship outside patriarchal nuclear structures (Bejin, 1985).
• Same-Sex Relationships

  • Stonewall (2012) estimates approximately 6% of the UK population have same-sex relationships.
  • Approximately 4 million people.
• Same-Sex Relationships

  • Changing social attitudes and declining stigma.
  • Social attitudes have become more accepting of same-sex relationships over time.
  • In 1983, 17% of people believed "sexual relations between adults of the same sex is not wrong at all"; in 2024, the number is now 67%.
• Same-Sex Relationships

  • Changing social attitudes and declining stigma.
  • In the same period of time (1983-2024) the number of people who agreed "same sex relations are always wrong" has fallen from 50% to 9%.
  • There are differences by age group; adults aged 70 and over are much less liberal than other age groups on the topic of same sex relationships.
• Same-Sex Relationships

  • Secularisation.
  • Religion as an institution has traditionally encouraged and supported opposite-sex relationships.
  • As the influence of religion declines, people choose to live in other family structures, especially those which are 'disapproved' by the church, such as same-sex relationships.
• Same-Sex Relationships

  • Changes in Law.
  • Law and Policy changes in the UK have decriminalised homosexuality/same-sex relationships, given it legally protected status, and now treats same-sex couples more equally:
  • Sexual offences Act 1967- decriminalised homosexual acts between consenting men over the age of 21.
• Same-Sex Relationships

  • Weeks (1999)
  • Increased social acceptance of same-sex relationships leads to same-sex couples following trends and patterns typically seen in heterosexual couples.
  • LGBTQ+ individuals are also likely to live with their 'chosen families', which gives rise to a new type of family structure in the UK.
  • chosen families are created based in the idea of 'friendship is kinship'.
  • Chosen Families offer same-sex couples and LGBTQ+ individuals the same stability and security as heterosexual family types.
• Single-Person Households

  • Recent years have seen a large increase in the number of one-person households:
  • In 2019, approximately 3/10 households in the UK contained only one person (8.2 million people).
  • 50% of all one person households in the UK in 2019 are pensioners.
  • By 2023, slightly over 30% of the UK adult population will be single (unpartnered and never married).
• What are the reasons for the growing number of single-person households in society?

  • Changes in law.
  • Changes social attitudes and declining stigma.
  • Changes to the position of women.
  • Increased life expectancy.
• Single-person Households

  • Changes in law.
  • The Divorce Reform Act 1969 has directly led to the creation of single-person households.
  • Men under 65 are most likely to live alone.
• Single-Person Households

  • Changing social attitudes and declining stigma.
  • Fewer people are marrying, and people choosing to marry do so later.
  • It is more socially acceptable for individuals to be single, and more people are choosing to do so.
  • created 'singlehood'- the choice to remain single and live alone.
• Single-Person Households.

  • Changes to the Position of women.
  • Women's entry in to employment and increased financial independence means they are able to choose to live apart from men.
  • Women have the freedom to live alone, or in other non-patriarchal family structures.
  • Women no longer have to be married to ensure financial security, leading to the rise of other family types.
• Single-Person Households

  • Increased life expectancy
  • People live longer today than ever before.
  • In a marriage or relationship, one partner typically dies first; the surviving partner will typically live alone.
  • The period of time spent living alone is increasing due to increased life expectancy.
  • Pensioners and older people also have fewer people in their age group to meet and choose to enter relationships with, leaving many to remain single and live alone.
• Ethnic diversity

  • Immigration to Britain since the 1950s contributed to greater ethnic diversity within society.
  • When immigrating, migrants bring the family patterns and structures from their country of origin with them. This changes the nature of family patterns and structures of the country in which they arrive.
• Berthoud (2000)

  • British culture is becoming more individualistic, which is having an effect of family life; the effect on family life varies by ethnic group.
  • studied three ethnic groups and their family patterns:
  • White British.
  • British South Asians.
  • Black British Caribbean's.
• Berthoud (2000)

  • White British Families
  • Lower fertility rates, marriage rates and smaller family sizes compared to British Asian families.
  • Higher cohabitation and divorce rates compared to British Asian families.
  • Arranged marriages are relatively unknown, but marriage with other ethnic groups is common.
  • Establishing a household after marriage is the norm.
• Berthoud (2000)

  • British Asian Families
  • More likely to have more traditional views on marriage and divorce than white British families.
  • Higher rates of marriage and lower rates of cohabitation and divorce.
  • Couples marry younger, and fertility rates are higher than white British families.
  • Arranged marriages are quite common and marriage outside ethnic groups is relatively unknown.
• Berthoud (2000)

  • British Asian Families
  • Higher rates of three-generation households and stronger emphasis on obligation to extended kin than white British families.
  • There are inter-generational differences however; young British Asians are more likely to be accepting of divorce, support greater equality in partnerships, and mixed relationships, and a have rising rate of lone parenthood.
  • There has been a shift in attitudes towards acceptance of divorce among older British Asians due to a conflict between British-born Asians and Pakistani-born spouses and parents/grandparents.
• Berthoud(2000)

  • Black British Caribbean Families
  • Lower marriage rates than both White British families and British Asian families, but fertility rates similar to those of white British families.
  • Higher rates of marriage with other ethnic groups, especially white British partners.
  • Greater individualism and serial monogamy.
  • Higher rates of lone parenthood than other ethnic minority groups.