Number of women aged 20 to 24 who have been married by age 17 or by age 18

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This indicator contains some alternative data to those specified by the United Nations (UN). This indicator is the most suitable match currently available.

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Headline data

Proportion of women aged 20–24 years who were married or in a union before age 15 and before age 18
Year Value Series Observation status Unit multiplier Unit measure
2020 0.5 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2019 0.6 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2018 0.7 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2017 0.7 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2016 0.8 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2015 0.8 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2014 0.8 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2013 0.9 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2012 1.1 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2011 1.3 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2010 1.6 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2009 1.9 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2008 2.3 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2007 2.6 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2006 2.9 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2005 3.2 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2004 3.6 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2003 3.9 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2002 4.3 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2001 4.6 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2000 4.9 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2021 0.5 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2020 0.2 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2019 0.2 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2018 0.2 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2017 0.2 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2016 0.2 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2015 0.2 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2014 0.2 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2013 0.3 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2012 0.3 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2011 0.4 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2010 0.5 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2009 0.6 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2008 0.7 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2007 0.8 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2006 0.9 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2005 0.9 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2004 1.0 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2003 1.1 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2002 1.2 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2001 1.3 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2000 1.4 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2021 0.2 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2022 0.2 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2023 0.2 By age 17 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2022 0.4 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population
2023 0.4 By age 18 Undefined Units Rate per 1,000 population

Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS)

Geographical Area: England and Wales

Unit of Measurement: Rate per 1,000 women

This table provides metadata for the actual indicator available from UK statistics closest to the corresponding global SDG indicator. Please note that even when the global SDG indicator is fully available from UK statistics, this table should be consulted for information on national methodology and other UK-specific metadata information.

Indicator available

Number of women aged 20 to 24 who have been married by age 17 or by age 18
Indicator description

Number of women aged 20 to 24 (per 1,000 women) who have ever been married by their 17th birthday and by their 18th birthday.
Geographical coverage

England and Wales
Unit of measurement

Rate per 1,000 women
Definitions

Not available for this indicator
Available disaggregations

Not available for this indicator
Calculations

The estimated number of women who had ever married by a certain age are based on women born in given years. For example, for every 1,000 women born between 1976 and 1980, 1.4 will have married by their 17th birthday and 4.9 for every 1,000 will have married by their 18th birthday.
Other information

Marriages to residents of England and Wales that take place outside of England and Wales are not included. Marriages that take place in England and Wales to non-residents are included.

Estimates are based on the population estimates by marital status, specifically the population who are 'never married or civil partnered'. Migrants will be included within these population estimates. Estimates try to indicate behaviour by exact age 18 and by exact age 17 and do not take into account; death, divorce or migration which could occur by age 24.

For 2014 marriage statistics onwards, ever married will include people entering into a marriage with either an opposite sex or a same sex partner. Same sex couples converting their civil partnership into a marriage will be included with ever married because previous marital status is unknown; therefore within this table we are assuming a previous marital status (before civil partnership) of never married or civil partnered.

From 27 February 2023, the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 came into effect. This act raised the age of marriage and civil partnership to 18 in England and Wales. This means that people aged 16 to 17 years are no longer able to marry or enter a civil partnership under any circumstances, including with parental or judicial consent from this date.

This indicator is being used as an approximation of the UN SDG Indicator. Where possible, we will work to identify or develop UK data to meet the global indicator specification. This indicator has been identified in collaboration with topic experts.
Data last updated 06 June 2023
Metadata last updated 14 June 2023

This table provides information on metadata for SDG indicators as defined by the UN Statistical Commission. Complete global metadata is provided by the UN Statistics Division.

Indicator name

Proportion of women aged 20–24 years who were married or in a union before age 15 and before age 18
Target name

Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation
UN designated tier

Tier I
UN custodian agency

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEFF)
Link to UN metadata United Nations Sustainable Development Goals metadata for target 5.3 opens in a new window

Source 1

Organisation

Office for National Statistics (ONS)
Periodicity

Annual
Earliest available data

2000
Geographical coverage

England and Wales
Link to data source Proportions of women aged 20 to 24 years who had ever married by age 17 and by age 18, 1976 to 1980, to 1999 to 2003 opens in a new window
Release date 05 June 2023
Next release

See source link: We plan to update indicator data within 4 months of data being released
Statistical classification

Official Statistic
Contact details

pop.info@ons.gov.uk
Other information

Not available for this source
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