Former High Court judge Sir Paul Coleridge ( pictured ) claimed the research showed that social mobility often depended on people 's ability to maintain stable relationships . Couples who stay together until their children fly the nest can boost their incomes by a third , according to new research . The study found husbands and wives could earn thousands of pounds extra- almost the same boost as having a degree- just by sticking with their partner . Former High Court judge Sir Paul Coleridge , the founder of the Marriage Foundation which commissioned the research , claimed it showed that social mobility often depended on people 's ability to maintain stable relationships . The study found that a woman with a degree in her mid-forties , who married before the birth of her children and has stayed with her partner until they reached 14 or 15 years old would earn around £31,000 . But if the same mother had separated from the father of her child , her income would drop dramatically to £23,000 a year . Sir Coleridge told The Sunday Times : 'The better-off on the whole stay together , and so preserve and increase their wealth for the next generation . 'The less well-off , on the other hand , are marrying less and less , staying together less and less , and seeing the perpetuation of their poverty into future generations . ' Coleridge is now launching a manifesto for political parties to tackle family breakdown , estimated to cost tax payers £47billion a year . Harry Benson , research director of the Marriage Foundation , claimed that people who stayed together had a greater combined income and therefore more stability . The study was created in conjunction with Stephen McKay , a professor in social research at Lincoln University , which analysed data from Understanding Society , a UK study that follows 40,000 households . Scroll down for video . Couples who stay together until their children fly the nest can boost their incomes by a third , according to new research . Figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal that as much as 90 per cent of new parents in the top tax bracket are married- compared to just 50 per cent on minimum wage . Susanna Abse , chief executive of the Tavistock Centre for Couple Relationships , said there was evidence that when relationship quality increased , so did financial earnings . 'It 's about parents being able to collaborate on things such as childcare . If you 're offered a promotion but have just gone through a relationship breakdown , you will not have the support network , and energy goes out of the career , ' she added .
Partners staying together until children flew nest boost income by a third . Study by The Sunday Times found it gave same increase as a degree . Figures show 90 % of new parents in the top tax bracket are married . Compared to just 50 % of new mothers and fathers on minimum wage . Paul Coleridge claimed social mobility depended on a stable relationship .