New statistics show marriage and divorce on the rise for over 65s

The most recent data published from the Office of National Statistics reveals that the number of brides and grooms aged 65 and over went up by 46% in a decade, from 7,468 in 2004 to 10,937 in 2014. This is against the backdrop of an ageing population, with the number of people aged 65 and over up by 20% in the same period. The marriage rates for those aged 65 and over has also shown an increase for both sexes since 2009.

Whilst the divorce rate in England and Wales is in decline (there has been a 28% fall in the number of divorces between 2005 and 2015) it appears that the older generation are bucking this trend. In the same period, the number of men divorcing aged 65 and over went up by 23% and the number of women of the same age divorcing increased by 38%. Taking account of the large rise in the number of people in this age group in the same period – and the larger number of them who are married – the number of men and women divorcing as a proportion of the married population shows that the divorce rate has actually remained broadly consistent over the past decade.

Many people will divorce for very different reasons and for anyone who is considering ending their marriage or civil partnership, it is important that legal advice is obtained from the outset. In most circumstances, Barker Gotelee can offer a free 30 minute consultation to discuss the process of divorce and the options available.

Amanda Erskine is a solicitor in the Family department at Barker Gotelee Solicitors.

Suffolk Family Solicitors – for more information on our range of legal services, please call the team on 01473 611211 or email [email protected]