The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 24 July 2007:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your request for how many married couples have separated but are still married. I am replying in her absence. (151192)
The Annual Population Survey (APS) combines results from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the English, Welsh and Scottish Labour Force Survey boosts. Marital status of individuals is asked, but the number of couples, according to whether they have separated or not, is not collected.
In 2006 the APS indicates that there were 1.2 million individuals in the UK who were married and separated from their husband or wife. This figure does not include those individuals who were in a legally recognised Civil Partnership and separated from their civil partner. The comparable figure for married individuals living with their husband or wife is 24.5 million.
As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.