Life milestones are happening later, analysis by the Office of National Statistics has found.

Significant events such as becoming parents or grandparents, divorcing, remarrying and stopping work are occurring later in adulthood than they used to.

The figures come several months after a similar pattern was established by the ONS among young people, who were on average remaining in education, buying their first home and having their first child later than older generations.

This week’s figures also revealed that men and women aged between 65 and 74 are happier than any other age group, whereas happiness levels are at their lowest for men and women in their late forties and early fifties.

Measures of personal wellbeing have only been recorded since 2011 and it is unknown if future over-65s will reach similar happiness heights, but researchers said the current older generation felt more positive about personal, social and financial aspects of their lives.

According to the ONS, the average age of becoming a grandparent was 63 in 2017 to 2018, three years later than 2009 to 2010. Researchers said this was a knock-on effect from the long-term rise in the average age of parenthood.

The analysis showed that people are working later in life than previously. Between 1999 and 2019, the average age for stopping work increased from 61.7 years to 64.7 years.