Data from the 2021 census showed that the proportion of adults who have never married or been in a civil partnership has increased every decade from 26.3% in 1991 to 37.9% in 2021, while the proportion of adults who are married or in a civil partnership has fallen from 58.4% in 1991 to 46.9% in 2021.

What is important to realise is that there are a number of tax breaks available for married couples and civil partnerships when compared with cohabiting couples.