The number of civil partnerships entered into in the UK in

2011 was 6,795, an increase of 6.4 per cent on the previous

year.
Figures released by the Office for National Statistics today show the
average age for men entering a civil partnership was 40 years, while the
mean for women was 38.

The number of dissolutions was 672, almost exactly 10 percent of the total
number of gay unions, but up 28.7 percent on 2010’s figure. Civil
partnerships have been in effect since December 2005.
By contract, in 2010, there were 120,000 divorces and 241,000 new
marriages.
London and Brighton were the most popular areas for a civil partnership.
Men accounted to 50.7 percent of civil partnerships, women for 49.3.
The figures continue a trend which has been in place since civil
partnerships came into effect for the mean age of new civil partners to fall
year on year. Gay men going into civil partnerships were on average six
months younger in 2011 than they were in 2010, women only a month
younger on average.

Stonewall Director of Public Affairs Ruth Hun said: “We’re delighted that
civil partnerships have proved to be so popular, both with same-sex couples
and in wider society. YouGov polling for Stonewall shows four in five
people across Britain support civil partnerships, and seven in ten support
equal marriage.
“This modest step towards full equality needn’t take much parliamentary
time. It’s time for the government to get on with it.”
Overall, 4.6 percent of the total number of civil partnerships between two
women formed since 2005 have ended in dissolution. 2.2 percent of those
between two men were dissolved.

The figures outstrip original government estimates.

Before the system was introduced, it was expected between 11,000 and
22,000 people would enter a civil partnership by 2010. The actual figure
was much higher and by the end of 2011, there were 53,417 unions, with
106,834 civil partners in total.
Within the constituent parts of the UK, the pattern varied widely for 2011
compared with 2010.
In England, unions were up 6.6 percent and those in Scotland up 19.1
percent. However, Welsh gay unions fell 6 percent and those in Northern
Ireland were down by nearly a quarter.