A majority of young people in Britain who are yet to get married want to tie the knot in future, a survey shows.

The study of 3,888 people by YouGov for The Express shows six in ten people aged 18-34 want to get married, and just over one in ten don't.

YouGov’s polling found 38 percent of unwed men want to marry while 27 percent do not; 42 percent of unwed women who want to tie the knot but 29 percent do not.

A strong desire to get married among young people contrasts with a sharp decline in marriages taking place over the last few years.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that marriage rates in England and Wales fell to the lowest level on record in 2019.

The number of marriages taking place today is half what it was in 1972, when legal reform made it easier for couples to divorce.

Harry Benson of the Marriage Foundation commented:

“Contrary to the image of the Great British public falling out of love with marriage, this poll confirms, yet again, that it is still seen as the gold standard of relationships.”