Women in 50s more likely to marry than those in their 20s

SINGLE women in their 50s are more likely to marry over the course of a year than women in their early 20s, the latest figures reveal.

The rise of middle-aged brides adds to evidence that marriage is developing into an institution for older and wealthier couples.

Men and women over the age of 35 are increasingly likely to get married, according to the Office for National Statistics.

But weddings are growing ever less common among younger people.

The ONS analysis for marriages in England and Wales in 2014 found that 16.7 in every 1,000 single, divorced or widowed women aged 50 to 54 got married, compared with 16 in every 1,000 aged 20 to 24.

There was a boom in marriage among over-65s, matching the ‘silver divorce’ trend that has seen growing numbers of older couples break up. But only a tiny number now wed in their teens – in 2014 574 boys and 2,135 girls married between the ages of 16 and 20.

The report pointed to a continuing overall decline in marriages

and rise in cohabitation. Opposite

sex marriages rose by 2.7 per cent

on 2013 to 247,372. However they were down 6.2 per cent on 2012, possibly indicating some couples regarded 2013 as an unlucky year. The ONS report said: ‘Marriage rates increased for both men and women aged 35 and over. ‘At ages under 35, marriage rates for men and women decreased, with the exception of those aged 25 to 29 where marriage rates increased by less than 1 per cent.’ It said marriage rates among the over-65s have risen by 56 per cent for women and 41 per cent for men since 2009 – 7,005 men and 3,932 women over 65 married a partner of the opposite sex in 2014. In 2002 only 4,486 men and 2,201 women married at that age.

Same-sex marriage became legal only at the end of March 2014.

The redefinition of marriage as an institution for the middle-aged follows the increasing trend for wealthier people to be married while those with less money stay single or cohabit.

Official surveys suggest the better-off are now twice as likely to be married as the low-paid.

The ONS has said that ‘the longterm decline in marriages and marriage rates between 1972 and 2009 is a likely consequence of increasing numbers of men and women delaying marriage, or couples choosing to cohabit rather than marry, either as a precursor to marriage or as an alternative’. Decline has gone alongside the move of millions of young women into education and careers rather than marriage and family.

The Relate charity said yesterday that the decline of marriage does not matter. Chief executive Chris Sherwood said: ‘More people are choosing to cohabit and this will in part be contributing to the rising average age of marriage.

‘The quality of a relationship is the most important thing, rather than relationship status.’