Statistics Around Single Parents, Mental Health And The Importance Of Peer Support
Single Parent Household Statistics are in Wales, England and the UK?
There are an estimated 2,756,737 lone-parent families in 2022, accounting for 15% of all families. (1)
In Wales there are 161,836 lone parent households, which is 12% of families.
And in England there are 2,594,901 lone parent households, accounting for 11% of families (2)
Approximately 1 in 8 families in Wales are headed by a lone parent, and one in four dependent children lived in a lone parent family.
There are 1,719,350 single parent families with dependent children in the UK, and 1,037,387 with non dependent children UK
In Wales 7.6% of families are single parent families with dependent children (102,274) and 4.4% are single parent families with non dependent children.
Lone parent families with only non-dependent children made up 37.5% of all lone parent families in 2021. Not all single parent families still have children living at home. (1)
The highest proportions of lone-parent families were in parts of Cardiff, Swansea, Newport and Wrexham. Merthyr was the local authority area with the highest proportion of dependent children living within a lone-parent family (32 per cent). (1)
There are 48,528 single parent households in Cardiff, 33,766 in Swansea, 22,211 in Newport and 3,844 in Wrexham
Average age of a single parent is 39 (3) and Less than one percent of single parents are teenagers (4) , contrary to the stereotype that single parents are younger on average
Children aged 10 and 11 years were most likely to have a second parent or guardian’s address (12)
In 2017, nearly nine in ten single parent families had at most two children. Most lone parent families had at least one dependent child in 2021 (62.5%) (5)
55 per cent of single parent families have one child; 32.1 per cent have two children and 13 per cent have three or more children (6)
44 per cent – of single parents had their children within marriage; that is, they are married/in a civil partnership, separated, divorced or a surviving partner (7)
Single Parents and Mental Health
Lone parent families were more likely than couple families to have a health status of "bad" or "very bad" in 2021. Single parents are more likely to experience loneliness, isolation and stigma (8)
Because of the negative factors associated with single parenthood, single-parents are at a higher risk of developing mental health problems. (9)
Research consistently shows that single mothers have roughly three times the prevalence of depressive episodes than other groups. (10)
An Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study identified that parent’s mental health (17) can impact on children’s future mental and physical health . These authors recommend that interventions target parent’s coping skills in managing stress, parenting skills and their own emotions to promote “safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments” (18). While there are long term benefits to the child, these interventions have also been found to reduce parental stress, depression and conflict and promote more secure parent-child attachment . (19)
Single Parents and Poverty
However, single parents have lower than average employment rates, and those who balance caring for their children with paid work, often have low paid, part time employment; single parents are in the highest in-work poverty rate in all of the household types in Wales. (12)
67.4% single parents in Wales are in work (11)
68% of single parents in UK are in work (11)
In 2020 to 2021, there were 89,000 in-work single parent families claiming CTC only (13)
Single-parents are twice as likely to live in poverty than coupled parents (14)
Children living in lone parent families are at greater risk of income poverty according to Households Below Average Income data. (21)
In the UK, single parent families are more likely to experience poverty (15). Parents often report going without food to ensure that their children can eat and they can struggle to pay utilities and clothing. This can increase levels of stress, anxiety and loneliness (16). According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's 2023 annual report, 40% of children in lone-parent families are living in poverty.
Single Parents and Peer Support
The literature suggests that peer support is important when supporting single parents. Peer support is explained as “drawing on shared personal experience to provide knowledge, social interaction, emotional assistance or practical help to each other”(20). In their systematic review, National Voices (2023) reviewed many studies researching the effectiveness of peer support. They concluded that it is effective at improving psycho-social outcomes for those with mental health conditions, and has potential to improve “emotional aspects” for others. It’s most effective when delivered by people who have lived experience, whether it’s by lay people or professionals, and when it’s based around specific activities.
1 Families and Households in UK ONS 2022
2 ONS 2021
3 Labour Force Survey January-March 2019
4 ONS 2019
5 ONS 2021
6 ONS 2019
7 Labour Force Survey January-March 2019.
8 University of Bath, 2012
9 The Lonely Society, MHF, 2010
10 Tragosz et al, 2003
11 2020 ONS
12 JRF annual report 2023
13 www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-and-working-tax-credits-statistics-finalised-annual-awards-2020-to-2021
14 DWP 2014
15 Morelli et al, 2022
16 Stack & Meredith, 2018
17 Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019
18 Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019, p. 15
19 Risi, Pickard & Bird, 2021
20 National voices, 2023, p. 3
21 Labour market statistics for households, 2018