A new study from the charity Relate has revealed one in five UK couples are in ‘distressing’ relationships.

The report is based on a survey of more than 20,000 people in relationships between 2013 and 2015 and it suggests 2.87million people across the UK discuss breaking up on a regular basis.

Dr David Marjoribanks, from Relate said the report’s findings could have a “far reaching” impact on children while Chris Sherwood, chief executive at Relate warned that “families can’t go on like this”.

Evidence produced by the Marriage Foundation shows how children benefit from having parents who are in strong and stable marriages. It is also well documented that the annual cost of family breakdown in the UK is now estimated to be £47billion annually.

Responding to the report, CARE Chief Executive Nola Leach said “Obviously this report makes for incredibly disturbing reading and the consequences of relationships breaking down can be catastrophic for children, other family members and wider society as well.

“Healthy families are a vital backbone of a truly strong society and it is well documented that in the UK family breakdown costs the tax payer around £47 billion a year.

“It is also worth stressing that by nearly every government indicator, marriage is a far better solution than co-habitation.

“The wider public policy benefits of marriage are huge and it is vital the government prioritises policies that support marriage and expanding the marriage tax allowance is one glaringly obvious way this Conservative government can give marriage a much needed policy boost.”

You can read more on the story in this BBC article.