A Record Number of Brits are Searching for Married Dating
January is the month of fresh starts, resolutions, and – divorce. Nicknamed ‘Divorce Day’, the first Monday in January consistently sees a significant spike in divorce inquiries, kicking off a trend that continues throughout the month.
The problem? Not everyone is choosing to part ways officially. Instead, a growing number of Brits are choosing to stay married while secretly exploring new relationships. Yes, married dating is officially on the rise.
We’ve analysed search volume data and discovered that a staggering 90,070 searches for married dating-related keywords are made every single month – a 16% jump from 2023.
And we didn’t stop at overall UK search data. We broke it down by city, ranking the top 20 UK locations by their ‘cheat score’ (the number of searches relative to local population):
Topping the charts is Leeds, earning the title of the UK’s most unfaithful city. Newcastle followed closely behind, with (perhaps surprisingly) Edinburgh taking position three. Meanwhile, Leicester is the most loyal UK city, claiming the lowest number of searches for married dating.
Ant Robinson from HalfPricePerfumes commented:
“Our research shows that the cities featured in the top of the rankings are the most densely populated in the UK, such as London, Birmingham and Manchester. These cities are also well known for their nightlife and party scenes, which could increase the temptation for people to look for relationships outside of their marriage. What’s more surprising is that even in quieter towns and cities with smaller populations – places you’d think of as less likely to foster this behaviour – we’re still seeing significant interest. It seems the desire to seek romantic connections beyond marriage isn’t confined to the fast pace of major cities; it’s a trend reaching all corners of the country.“
Map of the UK’s most unfaithful cities
Why is ‘married dating’ on the rise?
Everyone’s situation is unique, but we can take a few educated guesses. The pressures of modern life, including the ongoing cost of living crisis in the UK, might be leaving couples desperate for an ‘escape’ or sense of excitement to take them away from the stress of daily life.
Plus, it’s fair to say that online platforms – from dating apps to websites made exclusively for affairs – make it easier than ever to seek out ‘a bit on the side’. With clever marketing and promises of anonymity, these platforms have almost normalised the idea of exploring relationships outside of marriage.
Even the pandemic could have had an impact. Those years of on-off lockdowns forced many couples into close quarters, which may have worsened existing tensions or revealed cracks in their relationships.
Lastly, shifting attitudes toward relationships could be playing a role. The increased representation of polyamory and open relationships on social media, in books and on TV is making non-traditional relationships more visible. For some, ‘married dating’ might feel like a way to test the waters without committing to a major life change, such as ending their marriage or suggesting an open relationship.