Couples staying married longer as divorces are delayed

Summarised from 4 outlets · 5 reports · Updated 24 Sept, 03:14 · Archive

The average marriage ending in divorce in England and Wales lasted 13 years in 2025, a record high since 1963.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics show marriages are lasting longer before ending in divorce, up from an average of 8.9 years in 1985. Lawyers suggest financial pressures from the cost of living crisis are causing couples to delay separation, with some remaining in the same household after splitting because they cannot afford separate homes.

How it is being reported

• Couples are staying married longer... before getting divorced, new data showsLabour has been urged to drop plans for new wedding bureaucracy and adopt French-style rules to cut the cost of ceremonies and stop religious groups from conducting fake marriages.Daily Mail · 24 Sept, 00:10
• Tell us: have you delayed separating or divorcing because you can’t afford to?We’d like to hear from people who have stayed together or continued living together after separating because they can’t afford to live on their own The average length of marriages ending in divorce in England and Wales has reached a record high, with lawyers suggesting that financial pressures may be causing some couples to delay separating . Rising housing, childcare and other living costs can make the prospect of maintaining two households difficult or unaffordable. Meanwhile, some separated couples are continuing to live under the same roof. Continue reading...The Guardian · 23 Sept, 17:45
• Couples ‘putting off divorce due to cost of living crisis’ in England and WalesLawyers say financial pressures are fuelling ONS figures that show fewer divorces after longer periods of marriage Couples are putting off divorce because of the cost of living crisis, lawyers have said, after figures showing the average length of a marriage ending in divorce in England and Wales reached a record high last year. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) released figures on Wednesday showing that the average marriage ending in divorce lasted for 13 years in 2025. This is the longest since records began in 1963 and up from a record low of 8.9 years in 1985. Continue reading...The Guardian · 23 Sept, 16:46
• Couples are staying married longer before getting divorced, new research showsCouples in England and Wales are remaining married for longer before separating, fresh figures show, but could there be a less romantic reason behind the encouraging statistics?The Mirror · 23 Sept, 14:13
• Couples staying married longer because they can’t afford to get divorced, data showsMore recent marriages were less likely to end in divorce within the first 10 years than those which took place in the 1980s and 1990sThe Independent · 23 Sept, 11:49

In this story: England and Wales · Office of National Statistics

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