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No clear link between marital

age gap and divorce

Population Trends 132 - Summer 2008The likelihood of marriages ending in divorce does not appear to be

influenced by the difference in couples ages at marriage according

to a new study published today by the Office for National Statistics

(ONS). It shows that while there is some evidence of small variations

in the proportion of marriages that end in divorce by age difference,there is no evidence of a strong association.

The study, using marriage and divorce data for England and Wales

from 1963 to 2005, is published in the Summer issue of Population

Trends*. It shows that for some marriage generations there may be

a relationship between age difference and probability of divorce for

individuals who marry above age 30 and are older than their spouse

by more than ten years. This is more noticeable for older marriage

generations, such as those who married in 1963.

Population Trends 132contains new and up-to-date statistics and

feature articles on population and demographic topics. There is an

article on the Age differences at marriage and divorceand there

are two other feature articles:

Estimating the changing population of the oldest old. The 2007 Census test: Evaluation of key objectives

*Population Trends 132 (Summer 2008)

Palgrave Macmillan 32.50.Available free on the National Statistics website:

www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=6303

ssued by

Office for National Statistics

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Cardiff Road

Newport

NP10 8XG

Contact

Media Office 0845 604 1858

www.statistics.gov.uk

26 June 2008

CoverageUnited Kingdom

ThemePopulation and Migration

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=6303http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=6303

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News release: No clear link between marital age gap and divorce Page 2

Estimating the changing population of the oldest oldshows that

the increase in centenarians (ages 100 and over) seen between

1951 and 2001 is largely driven by increases in survival between

age 80 and 100. It also shows that survival between age 80 and 100

is projected to increase further with the greatest increases seen

among men born during the first quarter of the twenty first century.

There is one update and one report in this issue, which both cover

previously released data:

Update: Marriages and divorces during 2005, Adoptions in 2006:

England and Wales

Report: Marriages in England and Wales, 2006

Other key findings from the article Age differences at marriage

and divorceinclude:

Since 1963 there has been a shift in the pattern of marital agedifferences. In more recent years, the most common age

difference is closer to zero (no age gap), suggesting a shift away

from the trend in older husbands. Additionally, there continues to

be a large spread of age differences, with more recent marriage

generations showing a wider range of age gaps than in the past.

Changes in the overall pattern of marital age differences are

influenced by the characteristics of marrying couples, such as,

age at marriage and previous marital status. Two factors

influencing the overall trends are changes in the pattern of age

differences for first marriages and the increase in the proportion of

remarriages over the last forty years. Compared with first

marriages, remarriages have a larger spread of age differences.

More detailed analysis of divorces by age difference looked at

marital status, prior to the marriage in question. This also

suggested that marital age difference does not seem to be

strongly related to probability of divorce, even when previous

marital status is considered.

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News release: No clear link between marital age gap and divorce Page 3

Further research would be required to explore the interaction

between age difference and other factors, in particular mortality,which is not included in the analysis.

BACKGROUND NOTES

1. Details of the policy governing the release of new data are available from

the press office.

2. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in

the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality

assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are

produced free from any political interference. Crown copyright 2008.