A recent column in The Times (£) delivered a rare moment of common sense on marriage in the mainstream media. Reminding readers that marriage is good for couples and children and has “profound public consequences”, the article’s call for urgent reform included some important points.
Crucially, it called on the Government to make marriage more financially appealing by updating the decade-old marriage tax allowance and considering family-friendly tax incentives like those in France and Hungary. These are moves C4M has consistently backed.
The piece also suggested the appointment of a “marriage tsar” to champion the benefits of marriage and help reverse decades of decline.
These steps would be a welcome start, but only if they promote real marriage: one man, one woman, for life. UK research consistently shows that married biological parents provide by far the most stable home for children.
About 84% of such couples stay together until their children reach the age of 14, compared with around 16% of unmarried couples. Stability matters. The Social Justice Policy Group reported that 70% of young offenders came from lone-parent homes.
With marriage rates at historic lows and cohabitation rising, these suggested reforms could help turn the tide.
Observing that it “should not be easier for couples to split up than to get married”, the column also contrasted the ease of online ‘no-fault’ divorce with the requirement for marriage applications to be completed with pen and paper. While there may be a place for modernising some processes, marriage shouldn’t be entered into lightly. The bigger issue is how easy it is to divorce.
Real marriage remains the gold standard for family life – the best foundation for social cohesion, economic prosperity, and the raising of children. It’s time politicians took bold action to improve marriage policy.