In 2022, the average number of people per household in the United Kingdom was 2.36 compared with 2.37 in 2020. In the mid-1990s the average household size was slightly larger at 2.42, before falling to a low of 2.36 in 2002, which with the exception of 2004, is where the average stayed until 2013 when it began to rise slightly.

The average household size in London was 2.57 people per household in 2023, compared with the UK average of 2.36 people per household.

Labour Force Survey (LFS) estimates including measures of uncertainty of the number of households by household size, for England, Scotland and Wales, as well as the regions of England.

United Kingdom Average Household Size: Number of People data was reported at 2.390 Person in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.380 Person for 2015. United Kingdom Average Household Size: Number of People data is updated yearly, averaging 2.370 Person from Dec 1996 (Median) to 2016, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.420 Person in 1996 and a record low of 2.360 Person in 2012. United Kingdom Average Household Size: Number of People data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office for National Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.H027: Number of Households, Household Size and Type.

There are estimated to be around 3.7 million one-child families in the United Kingdom as of 2023, with a further 3.38 million two-child families, and 1.18 million families that have three or more children.

Households in the eighth and ninth deciles had, on average, 2.0 adults. This was the highest number of adults of any decile group. Households in the bottom decile group had, on average, 1.5 adults. This was the lowest number of adults of any decile group.

Average weekly household expenditure on goods and services in the UK. Data are shown by region, age, income (including equivalised) group (deciles and quintiles), economic status, socio-economic class, housing tenure, output area classification, urban and rural areas (Great Britain only), place of purchase and household composition.

In 2019, the average household size of Muslims in Sub-Saharan Africa was *** people per household. Muslim households in Europe were the smallest worldwide, with an average of *** people per household.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify households in England and Wales by household size and by number of rooms. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

It is inappropriate to measure change in number of rooms from 2011 to 2021, as Census 2021 used Valuation Office Agency data for this variable. Instead use Census 2021 estimates for number of bedrooms for comparisons over time. Read more about this quality notice.

Area type

Census 2021 statistics are published for a number of different geographies. These can be large, for example the whole of England, or small, for example an output area (OA), the lowest level of geography for which statistics are produced.

For higher levels of geography, more detailed statistics can be produced. When a lower level of geography is used, such as output areas (which have a minimum of 100 persons), the statistics produced have less detail. This is to protect the confidentiality of people and ensure that individuals or their characteristics cannot be identified.

Coverage

Census 2021 statistics are published for the whole of England and Wales. Data are also available in these geographic types:

• country - for example, Wales
• region - for example, London
• local authority - for example, Cornwall
• health area – for example, Clinical Commissioning Group
• statistical area - for example, MSOA or LSOA

Number of rooms (Valuation Office Agency)

A room can be any room in a dwelling apart from bathrooms, toilets, halls or landings, kitchens, conservatories or utility rooms. All other rooms, for example, living rooms, studies, bedrooms, separate dining rooms and rooms that can only be used for storage are included. If two rooms have been converted into one, they are counted as one room.

The number of rooms is recorded by address, this means that for households living in a shared dwelling the number of rooms are counted for the whole dwelling and not the individual household.

This definition is based on the Valuation Office Agency’s (VOA) definition.

Household size

The number of people in the household.

Visitors staying at an address do not count to that household’s size.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify households in Northern Ireland, with at least one usual resident, by household size. It also includes an estimate of the number of usual residents living in households and average household size. The estimates are as at census day, 21 March 2021.

The census collected information on the usually resident population of Northern Ireland on census day (21 March 2021). Initial contact letters or questionnaire packs were delivered to every household and communal establishment, and residents were asked to complete online or return the questionnaire with information as correct on census day. Special arrangements were made to enumerate special groups such as students, members of the Travellers Community, HM Forces personnel etc. The Census Coverage Survey (an independent doorstep survey) followed between 12 May and 29 June 2021 and was used to adjust the census counts for under-enumeration.

Average household size is a calculation of the usually resident population living in households divided by the number of households.

The quality assurance report can be found here

This is the proportion of children aged under 16 (0-15) living in families in absolute low income during the year. The figures are based on the count of children aged under 16 (0-15) living in the area derived from ONS mid-year population estimates. The count of children refers to the age of the child at 30 June of each year.

Low income is a family whose equivalised income is below 60 per cent of median household incomes. Gross income measure is Before Housing Costs (BHC) and includes contributions from earnings, state support, and pensions. Equivalisation adjusts incomes for household size and composition, taking an adult couple with no children as the reference point. For example, the process of equivalisation would adjust the income of a single person upwards, so their income can be compared directly to the standard of living for a couple.

Absolute low income is income Before Housing Costs (BHC) in the reference year in comparison with incomes in 2010/11 adjusted for inflation. A family must have claimed one or more of Universal Credit, Tax Credits, or Housing Benefit at any point in the year to be classed as low income in these statistics. Children are dependent individuals aged under 16; or aged 16 to 19 in full-time non-advanced education. The count of children refers to the age of the child at 31 March of each year.

Data are calibrated to the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) survey regional estimates of children in low income but provide more granular local area information not available from the HBAI. For further information and methodology on the construction of these statistics, visit this link. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

Data is Powered by LG Inform Plus and automatically checked for new data on the 3rd of each month.

Key information about UK Household Income per Capita

• United Kingdom Annual Household Income per Capita reached 34,805.008 USD in Dec 2023, compared with the previous value of 36,168.598 USD in Dec 2022.
• UK Annual Household Income per Capita data is updated yearly, available from Dec 1996 to Dec 2023, with an averaged value of 38,694.697 USD.
• The data reached an all-time high of 56,270.561 USD in Dec 2007 and a record low of 27,377.030 USD in Dec 1996.
• In the latest reports, Retail Sales of UK dropped 2.090 % YoY in May 2023.

As of 2022, there were estimated to be *** million people living in a two-person household in the United Kingdom, the most of any household size in this year. Approximately *** million people lived alone, and a further *** million people lived in a three-person household.

Dataset population: Households

Household composition

Household composition classifies households according to the relationships between the household members. Households consisting of one family and no other usual residents are classified according to the type of family (married, same-sex civil partnership or cohabiting couple family, or lone parent family) and the number of dependent children. Other households are classified by the number of people, the number of dependent children, or whether the household consists only of students or only of people aged 65 and over.

Number of bedrooms

The number of bedrooms in a household's accommodation.

A bedroom is defined as any room that was intended to be used as a bedroom when the property was built, or any room that has been permanently converted for use as a bedroom. It also includes all rooms intended for use as a bedroom even if not being used as a bedroom at the time of the census. Bedsits and studio flats are counted as having one bedroom.

The number of bedrooms is not available for household spaces with no usual residents.

These statistics contain the first results from Census 2021, and provide estimates of the Northern Ireland population by five-year age band and sex, residence type, and the household count with average household size.

Estimates in this release were published in rounded form.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usually resident dependent children in England and Wales by ethnic group of Household Reference Person and by age. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

Area type

Census 2021 statistics are published for a number of different geographies. These can be large, for example the whole of England, or small, for example an output area (OA), the lowest level of geography for which statistics are produced.

For higher levels of geography, more detailed statistics can be produced. When a lower level of geography is used, such as output areas (which have a minimum of 100 persons), the statistics produced have less detail. This is to protect the confidentiality of people and ensure that individuals or their characteristics cannot be identified.

Coverage

Census 2021 statistics are published for the whole of England and Wales. Data are also available in these geographic types:

• country - for example, Wales
• region - for example, London
• local authority - for example, Cornwall
• health area – for example, Clinical Commissioning Group
• statistical area - for example, MSOA or LSOA

Dependent child age

Counts dependent children and gives an age classification.

"Not applicable" applies to non-dependent children and adults.

Ethnic group of the Household Reference Person

Ethnic group of the Household Reference Person

Total number of young adults aged 15 to 34 years and total number of young adults aged 20 to 34 years in the UK living with their parents.

This is the proportion of children aged under 16 (0-15) living in families in absolute low income during the year. The figures are based on the count of children aged under 16 (0-15) living in the area derived from ONS mid-year population estimates. The count of children refers to the age of the child at 30 June of each year.

Low income is a family whose equivalised income is below 60 per cent of median household incomes. Gross income measure is Before Housing Costs (BHC) and includes contributions from earnings, state support, and pensions. Equivalisation adjusts incomes for household size and composition, taking an adult couple with no children as the reference point. For example, the process of equivalisation would adjust the income of a single person upwards, so their income can be compared directly to the standard of living for a couple.

Absolute low income is income Before Housing Costs (BHC) in the reference year in comparison with incomes in 2010/11 adjusted for inflation. A family must have claimed one or more of Universal Credit, Tax Credits, or Housing Benefit at any point in the year to be classed as low income in these statistics. Children are dependent individuals aged under 16; or aged 16 to 19 in full-time non-advanced education. The count of children refers to the age of the child at 31 March of each year.

Data are calibrated to the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) survey regional estimates of children in low income but provide more granular local area information not available from the HBAI. For further information and methodology on the construction of these statistics, visit this link. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

Data is Powered by LG Inform Plus and automatically checked for new data on the 3rd of each month.

In the 3 years to March 2021, black households were most likely out of all ethnic groups to have a weekly income of under £600.