Which policy encouraged marriage during the 2010-2015 coalition government?

• A. The troubled Families programme developed to tackle problematic families
• B. The Conservative Party manifesto in 2010 made a commitment to offer tax benefits for married couples as a means of encouraging people to get married
• C. Cuts in major areas of public spending on welfare services
• D. Same-sex marriage made legal on the same basis as opposite-sex couples

Answer: (B)

Policies that use financial incentives to influence marriage decisions provide a direct way for the state to encourage marriage. In this case, the Conservative Party’s 2010 manifesto pledged tax benefits for married couples as a means to encourage people to marry. This is a clear example of using the tax system to shape family formation, aligning with the idea that financial considerations can influence individuals’ decisions about marriage.

The other options relate to different aims. The troubled Families programme focuses on supporting problematic families and addressing welfare needs, not on promoting marriage itself. Cuts in welfare spending are about reducing government expenditure rather than promoting marriage. Legalising same-sex marriage expands rights for same-sex couples rather than providing a specific financial incentive to marry, so it isn’t framed as an instrument to encourage marriage.