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UK Wedding News

08/05/2014

Number Of Britain's Step-Families Fall

The number of step-families in Britain are said to have fallen by 14% in 10 years, according to a new report.

The latest figures, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), found that there were 544,000 families with children living with a step-parent in 2011 – a fall from 631,000 a decade previously.

In its report, the ONS said there were "no clear reasons" for the fall, but said a factor could be a rise in the average age at which women have their first child.

"This means that children are less likely to be born to younger couples who are more likely to break up. This may lessen the chance of children becoming stepchildren later on," the ONS said.

Another reason could be that single parents may also be increasingly likely to have a partner who lives elsewhere and essentially acts as a step-parent to their children without living with them permanently.

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The findings – from the General Lifestyle Survey in 2011 for Great Britain – showed that 85% of step-families include children from the woman's previous relationship, 11% included children from the man's previous relationship, while 4% were from both partners' previous relationship.

It also revealed that the proportion of step-families varied across Britain.

The report continued: "The lowest proportions of couple families with dependent children which were stepfamilies in 2011 were in and to the west of London, extending along the M4 corridor.

"Meanwhile, the highest proportions were in coastal areas, south Wales, Norfolk and the East Midlands.

"Several reasons may contribute to this pattern including the presence of affordable housing because stepfamilies tend to be larger.

"For example, the cost of homes with enough bedrooms to accommodate children may prevent some people who both have children from moving in together in London and the South East."

In England and Wales, 1.1 million (9%) children were said to live in a step-family in 2011 lived in a step-family in 2011, while 7.7 million (64%) of children lived with both of their parents and 3.1 million, 26%, lived with a single parent.

(JP)

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"The number of step-families in Britain are said to have fallen by 14% in 10 years, according to a new report."