Not an eventual lifetime estimate. ONS assumes marriages and divorces occur within the same jurisdiction. Deaths are not accounted for and civil-partnership conversions affect totals.
Measure definition and provenance Unit, denominator, population and source terms
Marriages ending in divorce by the 20th anniversary
England and WalesMarriages formed in the indicated cohort year · Year = marriage cohort
View data table and reporting notes
| Marriage cohort | Marriages ending in divorce by the 20th anniversary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 19.2 | — |
| 1964 | 20.4 | — |
| 1965 | 21.7 | — |
| 1966 | 22.9 | — |
| 1967 | 23.6 | — |
| 1968 | 24.6 | — |
| 1969 | 25.1 | — |
| 1970 | 26.6 | — |
| 1971 | 26.7 | — |
| 1972 | 27.0 | — |
| 1973 | 28.5 | — |
| 1974 | 29.6 | — |
| 1975 | 30.2 | — |
| 1976 | 30.9 | — |
| 1977 | 32.0 | — |
| 1978 | 32.7 | — |
| 1979 | 33.3 | — |
| 1980 | 33.8 | — |
| 1981 | 34.1 | — |
| 1982 | 34.8 | — |
| 1983 | 35.3 | — |
| 1984 | 35.7 | — |
| 1985 | 36.1 | — |
| 1986 | 36.6 | — |
| 1987 | 37.9 | — |
| 1988 | 37.7 | — |
| 1989 | 37.9 | — |
| 1990 | 37.7 | — |
| 1991 | 37.9 | — |
| 1992 | 38.1 | — |
| 1993 | 38.2 | — |
| 1994 | 38.3 | — |
| 1995 | 38.1 | — |
| 1996 | 37.8 | — |
| 1997 | 37.2 | — |
| 1998 | 37.0 | — |
| 1999 | 36.7 | — |
| 2000 | 36.5 | — |
| 2001 | 36.6 | — |
| 2002 | 35.8 | — |
| 2003 | 35.8 | — |
| 2004 | 35.6 | — |
| 2005 | 35.3 | — |
Download this release
43 observations, including explicitly missing records. CSV retains scope and attribution; JSON includes calculation inputs and flags.
Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains public sector information licensed under the OGL v3.0.
Interpretation and revisions
Not an eventual lifetime estimate. ONS assumes marriages and divorces occur within the same jurisdiction. Deaths are not accounted for and civil-partnership conversions affect totals.
Workbook notes identify changes in law, court activity and cohort assumptions. Source rate reliability flag a means precise; it does not imply absence of all error.
Initial publication: October 1, 2026. Corrections log. Review was assisted by automation and is not an independent expert review.