Divorce: the route into remarriage
Most remarriages follow a divorce, so divorce numbers set the pool of people who might marry again. There were 102,678 divorces in England and Wales in 2023, described by the ONS as a return to pre-pandemic levels, and the median opposite-sex marriage that ended in divorce had lasted 12.7 years (ONS, Divorces in England and Wales: 2023).
| Divorce measure (England and Wales, 2023) | Value |
|---|
| Total divorces | 102,678 |
| Median marriage duration, opposite-sex | 12.7 years |
| Median marriage duration, male same-sex | 7.2 years |
| Median marriage duration, female same-sex | 6.3 years |
Source: ONS, Divorces in England and Wales: 2023, reference year 2023.
Marital status across the population
A snapshot of the whole adult population helps put remarriage in context. At Census 2021, 46.9% of people aged 16 and over in England and Wales were married or in a civil partnership, 9.1% were divorced or had a dissolved civil partnership, 6.1% were widowed and 37.9% had never married (ONS, Census 2021).
| Marital status, aged 16+ (Census 2021) | Share |
|---|
| Married or in a civil partnership | 46.9% |
| Never married or in a civil partnership | 37.9% |
| Divorced or civil partnership dissolved | 9.1% |
| Widowed or surviving civil partner | 6.1% |
Source: ONS, Marriage and civil partnership status, Census 2021, reference year 2021.
What the numbers mean
Read together, these figures point to a large group of people forming second families later in life, often with children and homes from a previous relationship. In our view, that combination is where remarriage becomes an estate planning question rather than only a statistic. A second marriage brings a new spouse into the intestacy rules and the tax treatment of an estate, while existing children may or may not be provided for depending on how the paperwork is arranged.
Two points are worth drawing out, both stated generally rather than as advice for any individual. First, in England and Wales marrying generally revokes an earlier will unless that will was made in contemplation of the marriage, so a couple who remarry can find that older wishes no longer stand. Our How to Write a Will guide explains how a will can be reviewed after a change in circumstances. Second, if someone dies without a valid will, the intestacy rules give a fixed share to the surviving spouse, which can reduce what passes to children from an earlier relationship (gov.uk, intestacy rules, as at July 2026).
Remarriage does not just add a partner. It rewrites who inherits by default, which is why many people in second marriages choose to look again at their arrangements.
On tax, transfers between spouses and civil partners are generally exempt from inheritance tax, and unused nil-rate band can pass to a survivor, though the transfer is generally capped so that a survivor can benefit from at most one additional nil-rate band even after more than one marriage (gov.uk/inheritance-tax, as at July 2026, subject to change). Because these interactions depend heavily on individual circumstances, blended families are one situation where it can be worth discussing options with a qualified professional. Our wider estate planning guide sets out how wills, trusts and tax planning can fit together, and our data page on stepfamilies in the UK looks at the households these marriages create.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
The marriage and divorce figures on this page are published for England and Wales, and the estate planning points reflect the law there. Scotland and Northern Ireland collect their own statistics and have separate succession law. Scotland, in particular, gives a spouse and children fixed legal rights over part of an estate, which changes how remarriage affects who inherits. Where a family or estate spans more than one UK nation, it can be worth taking advice in each.
Sources and methodology
Every figure on this page comes from a named Office for National Statistics release and has been checked against that source. Marriage figures are the latest available at the time of writing and cover opposite-sex couples in 2019 unless stated; divorce figures cover 2023; population marital-status figures come from Census 2021. Figures are not adjusted, rounded or extrapolated beyond what each source states.
- ONS, Marriages in England and Wales: 2019: first marriage and remarriage shares, totals, average age at marriage, long-run trend.
- ONS, Divorces in England and Wales: 2023: total divorces and median marriage duration at divorce.
- ONS, Marriage and civil partnership status, England and Wales: Census 2021: population marital status.
- gov.uk, Inheritance Tax and gov.uk, intestacy rules: tax and inheritance points, as at July 2026, subject to change.
Frequently asked questions
How common is remarriage in the UK?
Remarriage is common rather than rare. In 2019, 67.9% of opposite-sex marriages in England and Wales were a first marriage for both partners, so the rest involved at least one person who had married before, and 14.7% were a remarriage for both (ONS, Marriages: 2019). Figures cover England and Wales.
Are remarriage rates rising or falling?
According to the ONS, first marriages have declined overall since the 1970s, while the number of remarriages has stayed broadly stable, with a slight decrease from the mid-2000s (ONS, Marriages: 2019). So remarriage has generally become a larger share of a shrinking total. These figures relate to England and Wales.
How many divorces are there each year?
There were 102,678 divorces in England and Wales in 2023, which the ONS described as a return to pre-pandemic levels, and the median opposite-sex marriage ending in divorce had lasted 12.7 years (ONS, Divorces: 2023). Divorce numbers give a rough sense of how many people may later remarry.
Does getting remarried cancel my existing will?
In England and Wales, marrying or entering a civil partnership generally revokes an earlier will, unless the will was made in contemplation of that marriage. Many people who remarry are surprised by this, which is why arrangements are often reviewed at the same time. Our How to Write a Will guide covers reviewing a will; the rules differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
How does remarriage affect inheritance tax?
Transfers between spouses and civil partners are generally exempt from inheritance tax, and unused nil-rate band can pass to a survivor, though this is generally capped at one additional band even after more than one marriage (gov.uk/inheritance-tax, as at July 2026, subject to change). The effect on children from an earlier relationship depends on the wider plan and individual circumstances.
How many people in England and Wales are divorced?
At Census 2021, 9.1% of people aged 16 and over in England and Wales were divorced or had a dissolved civil partnership, while 46.9% were married or in a civil partnership and 6.1% were widowed (ONS, Census 2021). Many divorced people go on to form new partnerships or remarry.
About Fairchild Oldfield
Fairchild Oldfield is an estate planning specialist with over a decade of experience helping families with wills, trusts and later-life planning, including blended families formed through remarriage.
Fairchild Oldfield are estate planning specialists and will writers, not a firm of solicitors. This article is general information based on published statistics and practical experience, not legal, tax or financial advice.
Important: This article is general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Reading it does not create a professional relationship. Statistics are drawn from the named Office for National Statistics sources for the reference periods stated. The estate planning points are based on the law of England and Wales, and other UK jurisdictions may differ. Tax figures and rules are current as at July 2026 and are subject to change. Before acting, many people choose to seek advice from a suitably qualified professional, such as a solicitor, a STEP practitioner, an accountant, or an FCA-authorised financial adviser, who can consider their individual circumstances.
