In 2025, the median duration of opposite-sex marriages in England and Wales before ending in divorce hit a record 13.0 years, according to data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on September 23, 2026. This marks the longest period since records started in 1963, a significant increase from 8.9 years in 1985.

This shift indicates that couples are staying married for longer before separating, a trend that moves away from earlier patterns of divorce. Despite legal changes aimed at simplifying the process, such as the introduction of no-fault divorce, financial aspects of dissolving a marriage continue to present challenges for couples.

What the records show

The ONS data, published on September 23, 2026, confirmed that for opposite-sex couples, 2025 saw the median length of marriage before divorce reach 13.0 years. This figure surpasses the previous low of 8.9 years recorded in 1985. A substantial portion of divorces in 2025, approximately 26.4%, occurred after couples had been married for two decades or more.

The divorce rate for opposite-sex couples held steady at 8.4 per 1,000 married individuals in 2025, consistent with 2023 and 2024 figures. This rate remains considerably lower than its peak of 14.2 per 1,000 in 1993. For more recent marriage cohorts, fewer unions ended within the first decade compared to earlier groups. For example, 16.3% of couples married in 2015 had divorced by their tenth anniversary, compared to 24.7% of those married in 1995.

No-fault divorce, implemented in April 2022, accounted for 94.2% of all divorces and civil partnership dissolutions in 2025. Of these, 74.1% were sole applications, while 25.9% were joint applications. Same-sex civil partnerships also showed extended durations before dissolution, with a median of 13.7 years for male couples and 13.6 years for female couples in 2025.

The timeline

Data collection on marriage and divorce in England and Wales began in 1963. By 1985, the median duration of an opposite-sex marriage ending in divorce was 8.9 years. The divorce rate for opposite-sex couples peaked in 1993 at 14.2 per 1,000. In April 2022, no-fault divorce legislation took effect. The ONS published the most recent data on September 23, 2026, detailing patterns up to 2025.

What changed and for whom

The increase in marriage duration before divorce suggests a shift for opposite-sex couples, with a notable portion now divorcing after two decades of marriage. More recent marriage cohorts are demonstrating greater longevity, with a smaller percentage divorcing within their first 10 years compared to cohorts from the 1990s. The introduction of no-fault divorce simplified the legal procedures for nearly all couples dissolving their unions in 2025. However, financial complications in divorce cases continue, even with the simpler legal framework.

What the subject has said publicly

The ONS commented that these changes were "likely be caused by a range of factors including legislation".

What we could not confirm

We could not confirm specific, detailed reasons beyond general factors cited by the ONS for why marriages are lasting longer or why recent cohorts exhibit greater initial stability. The precise impact of ongoing financial complexities in no-fault divorces on individual couples was also not detailed in the records.