Pippa Allsop asks why the legislators have not yet kept up with societal changes, when even the Prime Minister is cohabiting with a partner

For the first time in history, the prime minister’s Downing Street residence is occupied by cohabitees.

Whilst this made the headlines for obvious reasons, it simply reflects the reality all over Britain, with national statistics showing the number of couples deliberately opting out of marriage is continuing to rise.

With more than three million unmarried couples choosing to live together, cohabitation remains the fastest growing and the second largest family type in the UK.

Note ‘remains’: this has been the case for a number of years now, with the number of cohabiting couples increasing by a significant 25.8 per cent in the last decade.