Marriage Patterns
16% of young people with no religion cohabit
Living arrangements of 16 to 24 year olds: by religion, April 2001, GB
Living arrangements
Among 16 to 24 year olds, those with no religion and Muslims were the most likely to be living with a partner in Great Britain in 2001, either as a married or cohabiting couple (19 per cent for each group).
People with no religion were the most likely to be cohabiting (16 per cent of 16 to 24 year olds). Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims were the least likely to do so. This pattern is reflected across all age groups but is most marked among young adults aged 16 to 24. Young Muslims were the most likely to be living as part of a married couple whereas people with no religion were the least likely to do so.
Percentage of 16 to 24 year olds who were married: by religion, April 2001, GB
Marital status
Young Muslim adults were more likely to be married (22 per cent) than were young people from any other religious background. As with people from other religions, not all of these were living with their spouse. Christians and those with no religion were the least likely to be married – 3 per cent of 16 to 24 year olds in each group.
Overall, Hindus and Sikhs are the least likely to be divorced, separated or re-married. This pattern was the same across most age groups in Great Britain in 2001. For example, among 45 to 54 year olds, one in ten Sikhs (10 per cent) and Hindus (11 per cent) who had ever been married described their current marital status as divorced, separated or re-married. This compares with 17 per cent of Muslims, 34 per cent of Christians and 43 per cent of those with no religion in the same age group.
Sources: Census, April 2001, Office for National Statistics Census, April 2001, General Register Office for Scotland
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