EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT MARRIAGE BENEFITS

Jan 29, 2025

Getting married brings huge benefits to couples, children and the wider society. That’s why at C4M, we’re always glad when these benefits get talked about and promoted in the media and elsewhere. Too many people are unaware of why marriage is exactly what people need today and shouldn’t be dismissed as something old-fashioned and outdated.

We were therefore thrilled to see that the think tank Civitas has brought out a new report on the “continued importance of marriage”. Titled ‘Marriage and the stable society’, the report by Senior Researcher Daniel Lilley takes us through why marriage is still key to a flourishing society and what more could be done to promote it in the UK.

We were also very pleased to see this month that celebrated money saving expert Martin Lewis has written about the ‘nine big benefits of marriage’, highlighting how getting married makes complete financial sense for couples.

At C4M, we will often spotlight ways that the Government could do more to encourage people to get married. In fact, Lewis says, one problem is that many people simply aren’t aware of the financial incentives for marriage that already exist.

These include the Marriage Tax Allowance, worth up to £1,260 per year, a complete inheritance tax exemption for money passing to a surviving spouse, a fully transferable inheritance tax allowance for when the surviving spouse dies, and more protections if a relationship breaks down. These benefits, Lewis stresses, aren’t available for unmarried couples.

Couples marry for love, of course, not financial benefits. But these days, you’ll often hear people saying they don’t see the point of getting married, that their love doesn’t need a ‘piece of paper’ to validate it. This couldn’t be more wrong – marriage makes the difference in a huge number of ways, and that’s why Governments make it financially worthwhile.

So let’s spread the word. Marriage is great news for everyone – and it even pays too!