Legal News
ONS figures show fall in number of stepfamilies (9 May 2014)
Date: 09/05/2014
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that between 2001 and 2011, the number of stepfamilies in the UK fell by 14%.
The decline in stepfamilies is being attributed to women having children later – many women now have their families in their thirties rather than their twenties. Women who have children later are also less likely to separate from their partner, the researchers say.
In London and along the M4 corridor, the researchers found the greatest decline in stepfamilies – however, nearly 10% of children are living within a stepfamily in the UK.
The majority of children living in stepfamilies live with parents who have married rather than parents who are cohabiting, the researchers found.
In 2011, a total of 1.1 million children were living in a stepfamily in England and Wales – around 9% of children – whereas 64% of children (7.7 million) were living with both parents. A total of 26% (3.1 million) were living in a single parent family.
The General Lifestyle Survey in 2011 for Great Britain also found that 85% of stepfamilies included children from the mother’s previous relationship, compared with 11% of stepfamilies which included the father’s children from a previous relationship. Only 4% of stepfamilies included children from both partners’ previous relationships.
The most popular areas for stepfamilies to settle are in coastal areas and south Wales, Norfolk and the East Midlands, where housing may be more affordable.
The researchers say that higher property prices in London and along the M4 corridor may be a factor in fewer stepfamilies living there, as larger homes are needed for stepfamilies and property prices in the south of the country have escalated more than in other areas.
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