Thursday 27 Jul 2017 @ 11:20
Department for Work and Pensions
Printable version

Children living in workless households falls across Great Britain

Official figures released yesterday show the proportion of children living in a household with no working adults has fallen in every region of Great Britain since 2010.

The figures, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), also show:

  • around 9 in 10 children live in households with at least one working adult
  • the number of children living in a household with no working adults is at a record low

A government report released earlier this year found that children living in workless families are significantly more disadvantaged and achieve poorer educational outcomes than other children, including those living in lower-income working families.

In comparison, three-quarters of children from workless families moved out of poverty when their parents found full-time work.

Employment Minister, Damian Hinds said:

These latest figures are further proof that the strength of the economy is benefitting every part of the country. Our welfare reforms are encouraging more people into work, improving families’ security and children’s life chances.

There’s more still to do and we will build further on this progress with the roll-out of Universal Credit, ensuring it always pays to be in work.

In May 2017, ONS confirmed that the number of workless households in the UK has fallen to a record low. Those figures showed that the number of children in workless households has fallen by 6% in just a year – equivalent to 90,000 children across the UK.

The latest employment figures (July 2017) show that there are a record 31.01 million people in work, and the unemployment rate (4.5%) is the lowest level since 1975.

Income inequality has fallen since 2010, and the proportion of people living in relative poverty is near its lowest level since the 1980s. In recent years the government has doubled free childcare, introduced Universal Credit and increased the National Living Wage and tax-free Personal Allowance.

Under Universal Credit, people are moving into work faster and staying in work longer than under the old system. Universal Credit is designed to mirror the way many people in work are paid, with budgeting advice and benefit advances available for anyone who needs extra help.

More information

Read the ONS release, Workless households for regions across the UK: 2016.

Records and more recent changes at national level are based on Working and workless households in the UK: Jan to Mar 2017, released by ONS earlier this year.

Read the government reports Child poverty transitions: exploring the routes into and out of poverty 2009 to 2012 and Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families.

Percentage of children in workless households, 2010 and 2016

Area 2010 2016
Great Britain 16.6% 11.4%
England 16.6% 11.2%
North East 19.8% 15.4%
North West 18.4% 13.3%
Yorkshire and the Humber 18.9% 14.4%
East Midlands 16.1% 11.7%
West Midlands 19.9% 13.7%
East 11.7% 9.1%
London 22.6% 10.9%
South East 10.8% 7.6%
South West 11.6% 8.3%
Wales 18.8% 13.9%
Scotland 15.2% 12.5%

Source: ONS, Workless households for regions across the UK: 2016, Table C1 LA

Contact Press Office

Media enquiries for this press release – 0203 267 5109

Press Office

Caxton House
Tothill Street
London
SW1H 9NA

London Press Office (national media and London area enquiries only – not questions about personal claims) 020 3267 5144

Out-of-hours (journalists only) 076 59 108 883

England and Wales (local media enquiries) 029 20 586 then 097 or 098 or 099

Scotland (local media enquiries) 0131 310 1122

Follow DWP on:

 

Channel website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions

Share this article

Latest News from
Department for Work and Pensions

Back to work boost as quarter of a million workplace training places delivered

17/04/2024 15:10:00

More than a quarter of a million workplace training places for benefit claimants have been delivered in just three years, new data reveals.

£1.5 Million investment to improve in-work health services as part of government drive to tackle inactivity

15/04/2024 12:10:00

Reforms to occupational health services will be shaped through a £1.5m innovation fund, as the government continues its drive to tackle in work sickness and boost economic activity using new technology and artificial intelligence.

Working parents on Universal Credit set receive up to £20,872 a year in childcare support

10/04/2024 16:20:00

Parents on Universal Credit can now receive up to £1,311 more a year in childcare support following a 6.7% boost coming into effect, as the government’s expansion of free childcare for working parents delivers 150,000 places in a week.

Fraudsters behind £53.9 million benefits scam brought to justice in country’s largest benefit fraud case

10/04/2024 14:15:00

A group who stole over £50 million of taxpayers’ money has been brought to justice in the largest ever benefit fraud case in England and Wales.

Government reaffirms commitment to backing pensioners with £900 rise to state pension

10/04/2024 10:10:10

The State Pension is increasing by 8.5 percent as part of the Government’s commitment to support pensioners in retirement.

Half a million more benefit claimants set to benefit from back to work support as Universal Credit expands

10/04/2024 09:20:00

Half a million people claiming old benefits will be invited to claim Universal Credit, unlocking all the work support it offers.

New guide published to help businesses boost disabled people’s prospects at work

09/04/2024 12:20:00

A new Disability Confident guide for managers helping them recruit, retain, and foster the progression of disabled people and those with health conditions in the workplace has been published today by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

£5 billion in support for energy bills paid this Winter

05/04/2024 15:25:00

An estimated £5 billion in support has been paid throughout Winter to help families with energy costs.

New laws to cut migration and put British workers first in force

05/04/2024 12:12:00

Changes that are now in force will slash migration and prevent the undercutting of British workers by employers looking to recruit cheap labour from overseas.