There were estimated to be just under 3.7 million one-child families in the United Kingdom in 2024, with a further 3.4 million two-child families, and 1.2 million families that have three or more children.

Households among all the decile groups had an average of 0.4 to 0.6 children per household. Average children per household in the top decile group was 0.4. This was the lowest average for any decile group displaying the average number of children per household in the United Kingdom in 2019/20.

In 2024, the average number of people per household in the United Kingdom was 2.35 compared with 2.42 people per household in 1996.

The fertility rate of a country is the average number of children that women from that country would have throughout their reproductive years. In the United Kingdom in 1800, the average woman of childbearing age would have five children over the course of their lifetime. Over the next 35 years the fertility rate was quite sporadic, rising to over 5.5 in the 1810s and 1820s, then dropping to 4.9 by 1835. This was during and after the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 with the US, which was a time of increased industrialization, economic depression and high unemployment after the war. As things became more stable, and the 'Pax Britannica' (a period of relative, international peace and economic prosperity for the British Empire) came into full effect, the fertility rate plateaued until 1880, before dropping gradually until the First World War. The fertility rate then jumped from 2.6 to 3.1 children per woman between 1915 and 1920, as many men returned from the war. It then resumed it's previous trajectory in the interwar years, before increasing yet again after the war (albeit, for a much longer time than after WWI), in what is known as the 'Baby Boom'. Like the US, the Baby Boom lasted until around 1980, where it then fell to 1.7 children per woman, and it has remained around this number (between 1.66 and 1.87) since then.

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

About the dataset This dataset uses information from the DWP benefit system to provide estimates of children living in poverty for wards in London. In order to be counted in this dataset, a family must have claimed Child Benefit and at least one other household benefit (Universal Credit, tax credits or Housing Benefit) during the year. The numbers are calibrated to the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) dataset used to provide the government's headline poverty statistics. The definition of relative low income is living in a household with equivalised* income before housing costs (BHC) below 60% of contemporary national median income. The income measure includes contributions from earnings, state support and pensions. Further detail on the estimates of dependent children living in relative low income, including alternative geographical breakdowns and additional variables, such as age of children, family type and work status are available from DWP's statistical tabulation tool Stat-Xplore. Minor adjustments to the data have been applied to guard against the identification of individual claimants. This dataset replaced the DWP children in out-of-work benefit households and HMRC children in low income families local measure releases. This dataset includes estimates for all wards in London of numbers of dependent children living in relative low income families for each financial year from 2014/15 to the latest available (2022/23). The figures for the latest year are provisional and are subject to minor revision when the next dataset is released by DWP. Headlines Number of children The number of dependent children living in relative low income across London, rose from below 310,000 in the financial year ending 2015 to over 420,000 in the financial year ending 2020, but has decreased since then to below 350,000, which is well below the number for financial year ending 2018. While many wards in London have followed a similar pattern, the numbers of children in low income families in some wards have fallen more sharply, while the numbers in other wards have continued to grow. Proportion of children in each London ward Ward population sizes vary across London, the age profile of that population also varies and both the size and make-up of the population can change over time, so in order to make more meaningful comparisons between wards or over time, DWP have also published rates, though see note below regarding caution when using these figures. A dependent child is anyone aged under 16; or aged 16 to 19 in full-time non-advanced education or in unwaged government training. Ward level estimates for the total number of dependent children are not available, so percentages cannot be derived. Ward level estimates for the percentage of children under 16 living in low income families are usually published by DWP but, in its latest release, ward-level population estimates were not available at the time, so no rates were published. To derive the rates in this dataset, the GLA has used the ONS's latest ward-level population estimates (official statistics in development). Percentages for 2021/22 are calculated using the 2021 mid year estimates, while percentages for 2022/23 are calculated using the 2022 mid year estimates. As these are official statistics in development, rates therefore need to be treated with some caution. Notes *equivalised income is adjusted for household size and composition in order to compare living standards between households of different types.

As of 2023, the average weekly expenditure for households in South East England was 612.4 British pounds a week, compared with the UK average of 526 pounds. Households in the South East, along with those in London, the South West, and East England all spent more than the UK average, while households in North East England had the lowest averagae weekly expenditure.

The StatXplore Children in low-income families' local area statistics (CiLIF) provides information on the number of children living in Relative low income by local area across the United Kingdom.The summary Statistical Release and tables which also show the proportions of children living in low income families are available here: Children in low income families: local area statistics - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)Statistics on the number of children (by age) in low income families by financial year are published on Stat-Xplore. Figures 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 example by Local Authority, Westminster Parliamentary Constituency and Ward.

Relative low-income is defined as a family in low income Before Housing Costs (BHC) in the reference year. A family must have claimed Child Benefit and at least one other household benefit (Universal Credit, tax credits, or Housing Benefit) at any point in the year to be classed as low income in these statistics. Gross income measure is Before Housing Costs (BHC) and includes contributions from earnings, state support and pensions.

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.

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 2022/23 the average weekly household expenditure in the United Kingdom was 567.7 British pounds a week, with households in the bottom decile spending around 262 pounds, and the richest ten percent of households spending almost 1,030 pounds every week.

Family composition according to mean (median/Interquartile range) number of children per age band.

Information on farm household income and farm household composition. Source agency: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Designation: National Statistics Language: English Alternative title: Farm Household Income and Household Composition, England If you require the datasets in a more accessible format, please contact fbs.queries@defra.gsi.gov.uk Background and guidance on the statistics Information on farm household income and farm household composition was collected in the Farm Business Survey (FBS) for England for the first time in 2004/05. Collection of household income data is restricted to the household of the principal farmer from each farm business. For practical reasons, data is not collected for the households of any other farmers and partners. Two-thirds of farm businesses have an input only from the principal farmer’s household (see table 5). However, details of household composition are collected for the households of all farmers and partners in the business, but not employed farm workers. Data on the income of farm households is used in conjunction with other economic information for the agricultural sector (e.g. farm business income) to help inform policy decisions and to help monitor and evaluate current policies relating to agriculture in the United Kingdom by Government. It also informs wider research into the economic performance of the agricultural industry. This release gives the main results from the income and composition of farm households and the off-farm activities of the farmer and their spouse (Including common law partners) sections of the FBS. These sections include information on the household income of the principal farmer’s household, off-farm income sources for the farmer and spouse and incomes of other members of their household and the number of working age and pensionable adults and children in each of the households on the farm (the information on household composition can be found in Appendix B). This release provides the main results from the 2013/14 FBS. The results are presented together with confidence intervals. Survey content and methodology The Farm Business Survey (FBS) is an annual survey providing information on the financial position and physical and economic performance of farm businesses in England. The sample of around 1,900 farm businesses covers all regions of England and all types of farming with the data being collected by face to face interview with the farmer. Results are weighted to represent the whole population of farm businesses that have at least 25 thousand Euros of standard output as recorded in the annual June Survey of Agriculture and Horticulture. In 2013 there were just over 58 thousand farm businesses meeting this criteria. Since 2009/10 a sub-sample of around 1,000 farms in the FBS has taken part in both the additional surveys on the income and composition of farm households and the off-farm activities of the farmer and their spouse. In previous years, the sub-sample had included over 1,600 farms. As such, caution should be taken when comparing to earlier years. The farms that responded to the additional survey on household incomes and off-farm activities of the farmer and spouse had similar characteristics to those farms in the main FBS in terms of farm type and geographical location. However, there is a smaller proportion of very large farms in the additional survey than in the main FBS. Full details of the characteristic of responding farms can be found at Appendix A of the notice. For further information about the Farm Business Survey please see: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs/series/farm-business-survey Data analysis The results from the FBS relate to farms which have a standard output of at least 25,000 Euros. Initial weights are applied to the FBS records based on the inverse sampling fraction for each design stratum (farm type by farm size). These weights are then adjusted (calibration weighting) so that they can produce unbiased estimators of a number of different target variables. Completion of the additional survey on household incomes and off-farm activities of the farmer and spouse was voluntary and a sample of around 1,000 farms was achieved. In order to take account of non-response, the results have been reweighted using a method that preserves marginal totals for populations according to farm type and farm size groups. As such, farm population totals for other classifications (e.g. regions) will not be in-line with results using the main FBS weights, nor will any results produced for variables derived from the rest of the FBS (e.g. farm business income). Accuracy and reliability of the results We show 95% confidence intervals against the results. These show the range of values that may apply to the figures. They mean that we are 95% confident that this range contains the true value. They are calculated as the standard errors (se) multiplied by 1.96 to give the 95% confidence interval. The standard errors only give an indication of the sampling error. They do not reflect any other sources of survey errors, such as non-response bias. For the Farm Business Survey, the confidence limits shown are appropriate for comparing groups within the same year only; they should not be used for comparing with previous years since they do not allow for the fact that many of the same farms will have contributed to the Farm Business Survey in both years. Availability of results This release contains headline results for each section. The full set of results can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs/series/farm-business-survey#publications Defra statistical notices can be viewed on the on the statistics pages of the Defra website at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs/about/statistics. This site also shows details of future publications, with pre-announced dates. Data Uses Data from the Farm Business Survey (FBS) are provided to the EU as part of the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN). The data have been used to help inform policy decisions (e.g. Reform of Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 of Common Agricultural Policy) and to help monitor and evaluate current policies relating to agriculture in England (and the EU). It is also widely used by the industry for benchmarking and informs wider research into the economic performance of the agricultural industry. User engagement As part of our ongoing commitment to compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/code-of-practice/index.html, we wish to strengthen our engagement with users of these statistics and better understand the use made of them and the types of decisions that they inform. Consequently, we invite users to make themselves known, to advise us of the use they do, or might, make of these statistics, and what their wishes are in terms of engagement. Feedback on this notice and enquiries about these statistics are also welcome. Definitions Household income of the principal farmer Principal farmer’s household income has the following components: (1) The share of farm business income (FBI) (including income from farm diversification) attributable to the principal farmer and their spouse. (2) Principal farmer’s and spouse’s off farm income from employment and self-employment, investment income, pensions and social payments. (3) Income of other household members. The share of farm business income and all employment and self-employment incomes, investment income and pension income are recorded as gross of income tax payments and National Insurance contributions, but after pension contributions. In addition, no deduction is made for council tax. Household A household is defined as a single person or group of people living at the same address as their only or main residence, who either share one meal a day together or share the living accommodation. A household must contain at least one person who received drawings from the farm business or who took a share of the profit from the business. Drawings Drawings represent the monies which the farmer takes from the business for their own personal use. The percentage of total drawings going to each household is collected and is used to calculate the total share of farm business income for the principal farmer’s household. Mean Mean household income of individuals is the ”average”, found by adding up the weighted household incomes for each individual farm in the population for analysis and dividing the result by the corresponding weighted number of farms. In this report average is usually taken to refer to the mean. Percentiles These are the values which divide the population for analysis, when ranked by an output variable (e.g. household income or net worth), into 100 equal-sized groups. E.g. twenty five per cent of the population would have incomes below the 25th percentile. Median Median household income divides the population, when ranked by an output variable, into two equal sized groups. The median of the whole population is the same as the 50th percentile. The term is also used for the midpoint of the subsets of the income distribution Quartiles Quartiles are values which divide the population, when ranked by an output variable, into four equal-sized groups. The lowest quartile is the same as the 25th percentile. The divisions of a population split by quartiles are referred to as quarters in this publication. Quintiles Quintiles are values which divide the population, when ranked by an output variable, into five equal-sized groups. The divisions of a population split by quintiles are referred to as fifths in this publication. Assets Assets include milk and livestock quotas, as well as land, buildings (including the farm house), breeding livestock, and machinery and equipment. For tenanted farmers,

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The UK censuses took place on 29th April 2001. They were run by the Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency (NISRA), General Register Office for Scotland (GROS), and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for both England and Wales. The UK comprises the countries of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Statistics from the UK censuses help paint a picture of the nation and how we live. They provide a detailed snapshot of the population and its characteristics, and underpin funding allocation to provide public services.

The aggregate statistics produced as outputs from UK censuses provide information on a wide range of demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population of the United Kingdom. They are predominantly a collection of aggregated, or summary counts of the numbers of people, families or households resident in specific geographical areas or ‘zones’ possessing particular characteristics, or combinations of characteristics drawn from the themes of population, people and places, families, ethnicity and religion, health, work, and housing.

Aggregate statistics are available for the full range of geographies employed within the census, from the smallest (output areas with an average of 150 persons in England and Wales), to national level. For further information about the geographies used in the output of census aggregate statistics, see the section on census geography in the Office for National Statistics’ Beginner’s Guide to UK Geography.

Data can be accessed through InFuse.

Citation
Through InFuse:
Office for National Statistics (2011): 2001 Census aggregate data (Edition: May 2011). UK Data Service. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5257/census/aggregate-2001-2

Through Casweb:
Office for National Statistics; General Register Office for Scotland; Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (2005): 2001 Census aggregate data (Edition: 2005). UK Data Service. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5257/census/aggregate-2001-1

Main Topics:
Accommodation type (brief)Accommodation type (detailed)
Adults, Number Employed in Household
Adults, Number in Household
Age
Age of Family Reference Person (FRP)
Age of Household Reference Person (HRP)
Age of Students and Schoolchildren
Amenities
Armed Forces
Bath/Shower and Toilet, use of
Care (unpaid), Provision of
Care, Provision of
Carers and their Economic Activity, Number of
Cars and vans
Central heating
Children
Children, dependent
Communal Establishment Residents
Communal establishment, combined type and management
Concealed families
Country of birth
Country of Birth (additional categories)
Daytime Population
Dwelling Type
Economic Activity
Economic Activity of Associated People Resident in Households
Economic Activity of Full-time students
Economic Activity of Household Reference Person (HRP)
Ethnic group (England and Wales)
Ethnic group (England and Wales) of Household Reference Person
Family composition
Family status
Family type
Health, General
Hours worked
Household composition
Household composition (alternative classification)
Household dependent children
Household deprivation
Household Reference Person indicator
Household size
Household Space Type
Household Type
Households with students away during term-time
Industry
Industry, former
Limiting long-term illness
Limiting Long-Term Illness (LLTI), Household residents with
Limiting long-Term Illness, number of people with in household
Living arrangements
Living arrangements of Household Reference Person (HRP)
Lowest floor level
Marital status
Migration (armed forces)
Migration (Communal establishment)
Migration (People)
Multiple ethnic identifier
Occupancy Rating
Occupation (brief)
Occupation (detailed)
Occupation, former
Pensioner household
People aged 17 or over in household, Number of
Population Type
Public transport users in households
Qualifications (England and Wales)
Qualifications, highest level of (England and Wales)
Qualifications, professional
Religion (England and Wales)
Religion (England and Wales) of Household Reference Person
Resident Basis
Resident Type
Rooms in a dwelling, number of
Rooms, Number of
Rooms, Persons...