Prenuptial agreements in demand for couples

Almost half of young engaged couples are demanding pre-nuptial agreements before getting married.

"Prenups" are no longer the exclusive territory of the rich and famous, as research shows 44 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds would consider signing such an agreement.

Divorcees heading for a second marriage were also likely to make arrangements, with 42 per cent of 45 to 54-year-olds saying they would think about them, according to a OnePoll survey of 1,000 people for law firm Dawsons LLP.

Suzanne Kingston, of Dawsons, said: "Younger men and women are aware that divorce is more prevalent now than it was in their parents or grandparents' time.

"The media storm around high profile divorces such as Tiger Woods, Nicole Kidman and Katie Price coupled with the effect of the economic downturn, has led to an increased awareness of protecting your assets before getting married."

The research comes ahead of a Supreme Court ruling determining if divorcing couples in England and Wales should be bound by pre-marriage agreements on how their assets will be split.