Traditional Family Structure Changing Says New Report

According to the report Social Focus on Families published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) the image of the traditional family is disappearing. The number of first time marriages has halved, while the number of divorces has increased by three times. Lone parents now account for around a quarter of all families with children. In almost two thirds of families with two parents both have jobs, which is a large increase over the past ten years.

Some of the main findings of the report state that:

• Eighty-four per cent of the population lived in one of the 15.8 million families in Great Britain in 1994.
• Seventy-nine per cent of married couples with children are owner occupiers, whereas 62 per cent of lone parents with children rent.
• The traditional gender roles still persist – mothers spend three hours a day housework and cooking while fathers spend just three quarters of an hour a day on these tasks.
• Children who come from households headed by a manual worker consume two thirds more sugar than those from a non-manual background and are also more likely to eat confectionery.
• If both partners work full time, in 68 per cent of cases, the man earns at least £50 a week more than his female partner.
• Lone parents with children have the lowest level of expenditure, an average of just over £190 per week in 1995-96 which was about half of the amount spent by couples with children.
• Boys and girls aged 7 to 8 spent, on average, just over £4 and £3 per week respectively while those aged 15 spent almost £17 per week in 1995-96.
• Younger children spend a high proportion of their money on toys, books and sweets while older children spent a greater proportion of their money on clothing than younger children.
• In 1994, children were four times as likely to smoke if their brother or sister smoked than if they did not.
• In December 1996, eighty-three per cent of people expected to take part in a family gathering at Christmas.

A copy of the report can be obtained for £30 from Stationery Office bookshops

Office for National Statistics: 0171 533 5702