Attitudes of cohabitants, and of non-coresidential couples, to marrying their partner or to living together as a couple, England and Wales

This paper examines the attitudes and characteristics of partners in two informal unions: cohabitation and relationships in which the two partners each maintain their own home but consider themselves a couple, the latter being termed a non-coresidential relationship. The plans of cohabitants to marry and of non-coresidents to live together or marry are analysed by age, and variations are found largely to reflect the stage in the respondent’s life course. The opinions of cohabitants on the advantages and disadvantages of living together rather than marrying are presented and the reasons given for their opinions are explored and discussed. Fear of divorce is likely to influence the respondents’ attitudes. The likelihood of non-coresidential partners marrying in the near future, or living together in the next three years, is analysed and in both cases a peak is observed in the early twenties age group. The social and demographic characteristics of the partners in the two forms of relationships are compared by social class, qualifications, marital status and the most numerous kinds of households in which cohabitants and non-coresidents live. Different aspects of the children of cohabitants and non-coresidents are examined, and the biological children and stepchildren composition of families are presented.