IMMEDIATE
RELEASE 27th January 2003
“And
its unnatural” says Richard Kane, Director of National Marriage Week.
The
Government’s decision to allow Universities to increase fees will lead to graduates
leaving University with average debts of £30,000, often forcing them to return
to live at the parental home or to live constantly in shared housing.
Whilst
people have tended to marry later in life over the last two decades, from age
26 for men, and 23 for women in 1970, it is likely that romantic couples will
be forced to postpone marriage from the current average age of 30 for men and
28 for women to possibly 34 and 32 respectively.
Commenting on
how the regressive student funding policies introduced by the government have
hampered students' life choices NUS President, Mandy Telford, said: "More
and more students are being priced out of the housing market while trying to
cope with their university debts. Inevitably this leads to things like marriage
and children not being considered until much later in life."
With
the average graduate starting salary of £17,722 and the purchase price for a
first time buyer now 8 times the salary of graduates, inevitably couples will
delay marrying, being forced instead to postpone any possible marriage or home
purchase until, they are student debt free.
Richard
Kane, Director of National Marriage Week said “Graduates are normally at an
age, when they wish to establish themselves, within their communities, often
as couples. Of course purchasing a property and marrying are not necessarily
tied together, however both make clear external signals of commitment and a
desire to become established within the community. This natural process
is being undermined by debt. It seems unnatural for adult graduates to
be moving permanently back in with Mum and Dad”.
National
Marriage Week argues that the Government needs to create economic incentives
to motivate struggling couples to stay together and that the level of funding
for marriage support set at £5 million p/a is pitifully inadequate, when family
breakdown costs each tax payer £11. Per week adding up to £16 billion P/A.
The
latest statistics highlight for the first time in a decade an increase in the
numbers of marriages in the UK. Greater student debt may reverse those
figures once again.
Ends.
NATIONAL
MARRIAGE WEEK 9-16TH FEBRUARY 2003
The
National Marriage Week conference will address this and other issues. Thursday
6th February, Merchant Taylors Hall. Press Call 11. 15 AM
For
further information and interviews please contact admin@futureway.org.uk
www.nusonline.org.uk
press officer 0207 561 6504
www.nmw.org.uk
press office 01202 883887
www.statistics.gov.uk