On present trends, only 58 percent of Gen Z women and 56 percent of Gen Z men will ever marry, compared with 77-96 percent of ‘baby boomers’ (born 1946-1964),  62-82 percent of Gen Xers (born 1965-1980) and 56-67 percent of Millennials (born 1981-1996).

Commenting on the results, Research Director, Harry Benson, said it was “a tragedy”.

“There is a great deal of evidence that making decisions and acting upon them – as in the act of marriage – changes the way people see one another for the better.

“Fewer marriages means more family breakdown [because cohabiting couples break up more often than married couples]. We already have the highest level of breakdown in UK recorded history. Nearly half of all children are not living with both natural parents. It’s no coincidence that that this matches the trend away from marriage”, he said.