Financial barriers to marriage should be removed to encourage stable families, says Iain Duncan Smith

9 February 2011 1 min read Neil Puffett Children's Services Families/Parenting

Financial barriers preventing couples from getting married should be removed in order to promote stable families for children to grow up in, Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has said.

"Government cannot and should not try to lecture people or push them on this matter, but it is quite legitimate to ensure people have the opportunity to achieve their aspirations," he said. "And that means that we have to look at how we can remove the barriers that currently stand in their way."

A "couple penalty", he said, means couples living together and claiming benefits receive less than they would if they each claimed separately.

He added that the expectation of a having a lavish wedding can leave couples under a significant strain of debt at the beginning of a marriage.

"What seems to have been forgotten is that the point of marriage is love, commitment and creating a safe environment in which to bring up a family," he said.

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