Households broken down by the number of dependent children, including overcrowded households, the number of disabled people, and the number of employed adults.

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.

Percentage of parents living with dependent children in the UK by economic activity status and by single year of age of youngest dependent child.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify households in Northern Ireland, with or without dependent children.

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.

This statistic displays the average number of children per non-retired household in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2017/18, by decile group. Households in the ninth and top decile had, on average, 0.4 children. This was the lowest number of children per household of any decile group. Households in the third decile had, on average, 1.2 children. This was the highest number of children per household of any decile group.

Dataset population: Households

Dependent children in household

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.

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.

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

As of 2023, the estimated population of young children aged between 0 and 4 years old in the United Kingdom was just over **** million. This was the fewest number of young children in the UK since 2006, when there were approximately ****million young children in the UK.

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

This report analyses families in the UK by the number of dependent children they have, with focus on those with three or more dependent children, examining trends over time, where such families live and their economic activity.

Source agency: Office for National Statistics

Designation: National Statistics

Language: English

Alternative title: Number of children families have

In the United Kingdom, it was more likely for adults aged 25 to 44 to go on holiday with children than any other age group, according to data from the first half of 2020. Respondents aged 55 or older were least likely to have children with them on their holidays.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify households in England and Wales by age of youngest dependent child and by household type. 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 children in household and their age

Classifies the number of dependent children in a household, by the age of the youngest child. The age of youngest dependent children is classified as follows:

• Aged 0 to 4 years
• Aged 5 to 9 years
• Aged 10 to 15 years
• Aged 16 to 18 years

Household type

Classifies households in an alternative way to the "household composition" classification used in most standard census results.

The type of family present classifies a household. However, households with more than one family are categorised using this priority order:

• married couple family
• civil partnership couple family
• cohabiting couple family
• lone parent family

Within a family type, a family with dependent children takes priority.

The alternative definitions used in tables that use this classification are:

• married couple household
• same-sex civil partnership couple household
• cohabiting couple household
• lone parent household

A survey conducted in 2020 revealed that ** percent of the respondents from households without any children in the United Kingdom (UK) always checked the fat content when buying food, compared to ** percent of the respondents who had one child. Just over a quarter of the respondents from households with **** children or more stated that they never looked at the fat content of the food they were buying, at ** percent.

Dataset population: Dependent children

Accommodation type

The type of accommodation used or available for use by an individual household. Examples include the whole of a terraced house, or a flat in a purpose-built block of flats.

Age of dependent children

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

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.

Annual estimates of the number of children living in households in the UK where all the adults have not worked for at least 12 months, by age of the child.

A survey conducted in 2020 revealed that ** percent of the respondents who lived in households without any children in the United Kingdom (UK) always checked the sugar content when buying food, compared to ** percent of the respondents living with ***** children. A share of ** percent of the respondents from households with **** children or more stated that they never looked at the sugar content of the food they were buying.