There are over **** million single parent families in the United Kingdom as of 2023, compared with **** million in 2022.

Employment rate of parents living with dependent children as a couple or lone parent by age of the youngest child in the UK.

Dataset population: Households

Lone-parent households with dependent children where the lone parent is aged 16 to 74

In most tables, the term 'lone-parent household' is used to describe a household that comprises a lone parent family and no other person. In the alternative household type variable, a lone-parent household is defined as a household that contains at least one lone-parent family but does not contain any married, same-sex civil partnership or cohabiting couples.

A count of the dependent children living in a household. A dependent child is a person aged 0 to 15 in a household (whether or not in a family) or aged 16 to 18 in full-time education and living in a family with his or her parent(s) or grandparent(s). It does not include any children who have a spouse, partner or child living in the household.

This statistic shows the cost in 2019, for lone parents, of a first child in the United Kingdom (UK) from the age of 0 to 17. Figures are compared for the costs including childcare and rent/council tax and for the costs excluding childcare and rent/council tax.

The costs with childcare and rent/council tax are consistently higher than those without. The most expensive period for lone parents, including childcare and rent/council tax, is from birth to the age of 2. Excluding childcare and rent/council tax, this period comes from age 11 to age 18.

Quarterly and historical data on employment rates of people in the UK by parental status.

Dataset population: Lone-parent households with dependent children where the lone parent is aged 16 to 74

Lone-parent households with dependent children where the lone parent is aged 16 to 74

In most tables, the term 'lone-parent household' is used to describe a household that comprises a lone parent family and no other person. In the alternative household type variable, a lone-parent household is defined as a household that contains at least one lone-parent family but does not contain any married, same-sex civil partnership or cohabiting couples.

A count of the dependent children living in a household. A dependent child is a person aged 0 to 15 in a household (whether or not in a family) or aged 16 to 18 in full-time education and living in a family with his or her parent(s) or grandparent(s). It does not include any children who have a spouse, partner or child living in the household.

Sex

The classification of a person as either male or female.

Dataset population: Lone-parent households with dependent children where the lone parent is aged 16 to 74

Economic activity

Economic activity relates to whether or not a person who was aged 16 and over was working or looking for work in the week before census. Rather than a simple indicator of whether or not someone was currently in employment, it provides a measure of whether or not a person was an active participant in the labour market.

A person's economic activity is derived from their 'activity last week'. This is an indicator of their status or availability for employment - whether employed, unemployed, or their status if not employed and not seeking employment. Additional information included in the economic activity classification is also derived from information about the number of hours a person works and their type of employment - whether employed or self-employed.

The census concept of economic activity is compatible with the standard for economic status defined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). It is one of a number of definitions used internationally to produce accurate and comparable statistics on employment, unemployment and economic status.

Lone-parent households with dependent children where the lone parent is aged 16 to 74

In most tables, the term 'lone-parent household' is used to describe a household that comprises a lone parent family and no other person. In the alternative household type variable, a lone-parent household is defined as a household that contains at least one lone-parent family but does not contain any married, same-sex civil partnership or cohabiting couples.

A count of the dependent children living in a household. A dependent child is a person aged 0 to 15 in a household (whether or not in a family) or aged 16 to 18 in full-time education and living in a family with his or her parent(s) or grandparent(s). It does not include any children who have a spouse, partner or child living in the household.

Sex

The classification of a person as either male or female.

% Lone Parents (Working Age 16-64)

*This indicator has been discontinued

Out of work Lone Parent Families with children who receive the same level of support as provided by CTC, but where it is paid as child allowances in Income Support or income-based Jobseeker/s Allowance (IS/JSA).

Source: HM Customs and Revenue, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Publisher: HM Customs and Revenue

Geographies: Lower Layer Super Output Area (LSOA), Local Authority District (LAD), County/Unitary Authority, Government Office Region (GOR), National

Geographic coverage: Great Britain

Time coverage: 2005, 2006

Type of data: Administrative data

Families and children in the UK by family type including married couples, cohabiting couples and lone parents. Also shows household size and people living alone.

This statistic shows the distribution of weekly amounts of children pocket money given by single or never married parents in the United Kingdom in 2015. The largest share of 25 percent of single parents gave between 10 and 15 British pounds as pocket money. Further 19 percent of parents gave between 5 and 7.5 British pounds to their children.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 16 years and over in families with dependent children in England and Wales by family status, by number of parents working, and by economic activity status. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

As Census 2021 was during a unique period of rapid change, take care when using this data for planning purposes. Read more about this quality notice.

As Census 2021 was during a unique period of rapid change, take care when using this data for planning purposes. 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

Family status by workers in generation 1

Classifies parents aged 16 years and over with dependent children in the family, by family status, the number of parents working, and economic activity.

Economic activity status

People aged 16 years and over are economically active if, between 15 March and 21 March 2021, they were:

• in employment (an employee or self-employed)
• unemployed, but looking for work and could start within two weeks
• unemployed, but waiting to start a job that had been offered and accepted

It is a measure of whether or not a person was an active participant in the labour market during this period. Economically inactive are those aged 16 years and over who did not have a job between 15 March to 21 March 2021 and had not looked for work between 22 February to 21 March 2021 or could not start work within two weeks.

The census definition differs from International Labour Organization definition used on the Labour Force Survey, so estimates are not directly comparable.

This classification splits out full-time students from those who are not full-time students when they are employed or unemployed. It is recommended to sum these together to look at all of those in employment or unemployed, or to use the four category labour market classification, if you want to look at all those with a particular labour market status.

A lone parent is defined as a parent with a dependent child living in a household with no other people (whether related to that dependent child or not). Source: Census 2001 Publisher: Neighbourhood Statistics Geographies: Output Area (OA), Lower Layer Super Output Area (LSOA), Middle Layer Super Output Area (MSOA), Ward, Local Authority District (LAD), Government Office Region (GOR), National Geographic coverage: England and Wales Time coverage: 2001 Type of data: Survey (census)

In 2024, the additional basic costs of bringing up a child from birth to 18 years old was approximately, 165,872 pounds for couples or 186,822 pounds for a lone parent. The full cost, which includes rent and childcare, was 259,028 pounds for couples and, 290,807 for a lone parent.

Starts to New Deal for Lone Parents

Source: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Publisher: Neighbourhood Statistics

Geographies: Middle Layer Super Output Area (MSOA), Local Authority District (LAD), Government Office Region (GOR), National

Geographic coverage: England and Wales

Time coverage: 1998 to 2005

Type of data: Administrative data

Notes: The New Deal for Lone Parents was introduced on 26 October 1998. It is aimed at all lone parents on Income Support, but is open to all lone parents (aged 16 plus and with a child under 16) not in work or working less than 16 hours per week on a voluntary basis. Lone parents in receipt of Income Support, with a youngest child aged 3 years and over, are sent an invitation letter to the programme.

Quarterly statistics on the number of Work Focused Interviews attended by, and number of sanctions applied to, Income Support Lone Parent claimants. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/income-support-lone-parent-regime-figures-on-sanctions-and-work-focused-interviews--2

This statistical series has ended. The statistics are now included in our benefits statistical summaries and benefit sanctions statistics. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dwp-statistical-summaries https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/jobseekers-allowance-sanctions

Source agency: Work and Pensions

Designation: Official Statistics not designated as National Statistics

Language: English

Alternative title: ISLP Regime

There are estimated to be around 12.7 million married couple families in the United Kingdom as of 2023, with a further 3.3 million opposite-sex cohabiting couple family families, and 3.2 million lone parent families.