Divorces between couples aged over 65 have increased by almost 40%, according to new research released by the Office for National Statistics.

The number of women aged 65 and over divorcing has increased by 38%. There has also been a 23% increase in men aged 65 and over divorcing

The news comes despite divorce numbers being in decline in England and Wales, with recent ONS research suggesting there had been a 28% fall between 2005 and 2015.

Divorces between same sex couples was not as high though, with just 22 couples divorcing.

The ONS said: “The increase in older people ending and forming new relationships is likely to be because they are living longer.

“In 2004, an average 65-year-old man could expect to live for a further 17 years and a woman for a further 20 years. Continuing a long-term trend, in 2017, this has increased to 19 years for a man and almost 22 years for a woman. The gap between male and female life expectancy is also narrowing.”

However, the report by the ONS also found that the number of brides and grooms aged 65 and over has increased by 46% in a decade.

Men tend to marry women who are younger then them, with some 56% tying the knot with someone aged under 65. In comparison, just 22% of women aged 65 or over married a man under the age of 65.

The report added that almost 92% of brides and grooms aged over 65 in 2014 were divorcees, widows or widowers, with just 8% tying the knot for the first time.