Recent figures published by the Office for National Statistics show that the divorce rate has declined by 27% from 2003, to the 2014 figure of 111,169 divorces in England and Wales. Of these, the most was in the age group 44/49 for men and 40/44 for women.
Nicola Haines, of the Office for National Statistics, said that likely reasons included the increasing age of first marriage and the increase in cohabitation. Also, compared to 2004, divorce rates in 2014 were lower for all age groups except for women aged 55 or over.
Divorce is most likely to occur in the first 10 years of marriage and where a marriage has lasted for 20 years, there is a greater chance the couple will not divorce.