Has our affair with marriage ended?

gzlaser

YOUNG people in the UK are increasingly rejecting marriage and turning to cohabitation.

A recent report by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that over the last 10 years the number of married couples has decreased by 4 percent, while the number of cohabiting unmarried couples increased by 65 percent.

So why have young people in the UK turned against marriage? In her book, Marriage-Lite, author Patricia Morgan, suggests a spirit of youthful rebellion is part of the change. People are quicker to change direction at work and in their social lives. They want greater freedom and are aware of the same trends in their partners, leading to a decrease in the level of trust in relationships.

This change in society has been encouraged by the government. In an interview with the Daily Mail when he was Home Secretary, Jack Straw was quoted as saying: \"We shouldn't get in a paddy about the decline of formal marriage … the most important thing is the quality of the relationship, not the institution in itself.\"

This explains another major reason young couples are increasingly avoiding marriage: the government does not provide them with any financial incentive to wed.

Getting married is an expensive business, especially for those in lower income groups. As well as the initial cost of the ceremony and reception, couples must also consider what happens if they divorce. There are almost no tax benefits for married partners that co-habiting couples cannot also enjoy. Although it may sound like negative thinking, many people are more concerned with the problems that may arise from a divorce, than the benefits marriage may bring.

Morgan said: \"When a married couple divorces, a court decides how to divide their property, based upon the needs of both spouses and any children they have. However, when a cohabiting couple breaks up, each person retains ownership of their own property.\"

As society becomes more individualistic, people are trying to hang on to their social and financial independence for longer. Even though marriage is proven to be a good thing for families, it is unlikely people will change their ways just because of a few statistics.