Investing in relationships can save money, Mr Osborne

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/24/observer-editorial-invest-in-family-counselling

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According to the newly launched Relationships Alliance – comprising the charities One Plus One, Relate, the Tavistock Centre for Couple Relationships and Marriage Care – poor relationships come at a high price and impede prosperity. Family breakdown affects health, employment, the wellbeing of children and the taxpayer's pocket. The alliance estimates that it costs every taxpayer £1,470 a year, a sum that includes, for instance, increased housing benefit, tax credits, health needs and care in older age once a family is divided. According to research by the Department of Education, relationship support, especially valuable at times of transition such as the arrival of a child, redundancy or retirement, has a substantial cost benefit attached to it.

On current trends, 48% of children born last year are likely to see the breakdown of their parents' relationship. It makes sense therefore to invest in normalising the seeking of help when the going gets rough and ensuring that relationship support is effective and easily available. Instead, while demand is growing – the alliance helps more than a million people a year – resources are limited. So, instead of forking out a miserly £3.95 per week as a tax perk for married couples and those in a civil partnership, as George Osborne's autumn statement next week is likely to pledge, the money would be better spent if it were diverted to financing high-quality relationship education in schools, nationwide counselling and mediation and a well-funded campaign to take the stigma out of seeking advice.

The alliance is calling for a cabinet level minister for families and relationships and a dedicated Whitehall department. Mr Osborne would be wiser to invest in shoring up those who may or may not be married but who have had sufficient belief in the value of commitment to get together in the first place, rather than rewarding matrimony, now rapidly becoming the choice of a minority.

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