Fewer single people in Richmond over past decade – despite national increase

Fewer people in Richmond were single over the past decade, new census figures show – in contrast to a national increase in unmarried people.

The area's drop in the rate of single people is despite a trend across England and Wales where the rate of people not in legally recognised partnerships has increased.

The number of people considered single – never having been in a civil partnership or marriage – in Richmond when the census took place last year was 55,958, up from 55070 in 2011.

Of those aged 16 and older in Richmond, 35.9% were single – a decrease on 36.7% in 2011.

This is different to trends across England and Wales last year, where 37.9% of people 16 and older were single, up from 34.6% in 2011.

And 49.5% of people in Richmond were married or in a civil partnership last year​ –​ up from 47.8% 10 years prior.

Data from the census shows 75,898 people were in opposite sex marriages last year, up from 70,998 in 2011.

An additional 579 were in same sex marriages in Richmond last year – they were illegal in 2011.

The figures also show 450 people were in same sex civil partnerships last year and 178 were in opposite sex civil partnerships. There were 665 people in civil partnerships 10 years prior, which were only allowed for same sex couples at the time.

There were 12,472 divorced people and 46 people with a dissolved civil partnership in Richmond last year, making up 8% of people aged 16 and over.

John Wroth-Smith, Census deputy director, said: "When looking a bit deeper, we can see that the proportion of people in a marriage or civil partnership has declined, which follows the long-term trend of declining marriages."

"Conversely, the number of people who were never married or in a civil partnership has increased by almost 3 million," Mr Wroth-Smith added.

Nationally, 21.7 million people were married or in a civil partnership – making up 45% of those aged 16 and older. And 9.1% of the population were divorced or no longer in a civil partnership, up slightly from 9% a decade prior.