Divorce rate in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Divorce rate was 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
1.7 per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 5.6%
World rank
23rd
of 43 countries
All-time high
3 per 1,000 people
in 1996
All-time low
0.7 per 1,000 people
in 1965
Years of data
56
1965–2020
Divorce rate in United Kingdom, 1965–2020
Source: OECD (2025) and other sources – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2020, divorce rate in United Kingdom stood at 1.7 per 1,000 people.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.6% on the previous year and down 19.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, divorce rate in United Kingdom peaked at 3 per 1,000 people in 1996 and was at its lowest, 0.7 per 1,000 people, in 1965.
That places United Kingdom 23rd out of 43 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Divorce rate in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0.7 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1966 | 0.7 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.8 per 1,000 people | +14.3% |
| 1968 | 0.8 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.9 per 1,000 people | +12.5% |
| 1970 | 1 per 1,000 people | +11.1% |
| 1971 | 1.3 per 1,000 people | +30.0% |
| 1972 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +61.5% |
| 1973 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | -9.5% |
| 1974 | 2 per 1,000 people | +5.3% |
| 1975 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +5.0% |
| 1976 | 2.3 per 1,000 people | +9.5% |
| 1977 | 2.3 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | +13.0% |
| 1979 | 2.5 per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1980 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | +4.0% |
| 1981 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 2.8 per 1,000 people | +7.7% |
| 1986 | 2.7 per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1987 | 2.7 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 2.7 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 1990 | 2.7 per 1,000 people | +3.8% |
| 1991 | 2.8 per 1,000 people | +3.7% |
| 1992 | 2.8 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 2.9 per 1,000 people | +3.6% |
| 1994 | 2.7 per 1,000 people | -6.9% |
| 1995 | 2.9 per 1,000 people | +7.4% |
| 1996 | 3 per 1,000 people | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 2.8 per 1,000 people | -6.7% |
| 1998 | 2.7 per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1999 | 2.7 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 2001 | 2.7 per 1,000 people | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 2.7 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 2.8 per 1,000 people | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 2.8 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | -7.1% |
| 2006 | 2.4 per 1,000 people | -7.7% |
| 2007 | 2.3 per 1,000 people | -4.2% |
| 2008 | 2.2 per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 2009 | 2 per 1,000 people | -9.1% |
| 2010 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +5.0% |
| 2011 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 2.1 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 2 per 1,000 people | -4.8% |
| 2014 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | -5.0% |
| 2015 | 1.7 per 1,000 people | -10.5% |
| 2016 | 1.8 per 1,000 people | +5.9% |
| 2017 | 1.7 per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
| 2018 | 1.5 per 1,000 people | -11.8% |
| 2019 | 1.8 per 1,000 people | +20.0% |
| 2020 | 1.7 per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 1.7 per 1,000 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.76 per 1,000 people, 97% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 1.7 per 1,000 people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.8 per 1,000 people, 94% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Divorce rate in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | +61.5% | 1.3 per 1,000 people | 2.1 per 1,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.78 per 1,000 people | 0.7 per 1,000 people | 0.9 per 1,000 people | 5 |
| 1970s | 2.01 per 1,000 people | 1 per 1,000 people | 2.6 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.65 per 1,000 people | 2.6 per 1,000 people | 2.8 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.8 per 1,000 people | 2.7 per 1,000 people | 3 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.51 per 1,000 people | 2 per 1,000 people | 2.8 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.87 per 1,000 people | 1.5 per 1,000 people | 2.1 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7 per 1,000 people | 1.7 per 1,000 people | 1.7 per 1,000 people | 1 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More reference data data for United Kingdom
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.97 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 10.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 59.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 5.48 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is divorce rate in United Kingdom?
- Divorce rate in United Kingdom was 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2020, according to OECD (2025) and other sources – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest divorce rate recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 3 per 1,000 people in 1996.
- What is the lowest divorce rate recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7 per 1,000 people in 1965.
- How does United Kingdom rank for divorce rate?
- United Kingdom ranks 23rd out of 43 countries with data for 2020.
- Is divorce rate rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2025) and other sources – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Divorce rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of divorces during a given year per 1,000 people.