Marriage does not make relationships stable, says IFS think tank

Though studies have found that married couples have more stability in their relationships than couples who simply cohabit, this is not because they are married and is more to do with the characteristics that have lead the couple to marriage.

Researchers from the Institute for Fiscal Studies has claimed that couples who opt to marry are generally older, educated to a higher standard and wealthier than those who have children out of wedlock and the fact that married couples are less likely to separate than couples cohabiting has very little to do with the ‘benefits’ of marriage.

The government has recently invested much time and energy into promoting marriage, a campaign which could see a shadow cast upon it after these new developments.

Research economist from the IFS, Ellen Greaves said “The evidence suggests that much of the difference in relationship stability between married and cohabiting parents is due to pre-existing differences between the kinds of people who get married before they have children, compared to those that cohabit.”

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