HC Deb 10 November 1999 vol 337 cc560-1W
Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children were living in households in each decile of income up to half average income for each year since the data were collected, broken down by(a) whether the children live in (i) one and (ii) two parent families and (b) by the economic status of the parents. [97912]

Angela Eagle

[holding answer 9 November 1999]: The information is in the tables.

Numbers of children living in households in the bottom three deciles of the income distribution by characteristics of family type and economic status in Great Britain
Million
Before housing costs After housing costs
Bottom decile Second decile Third decile Bottom decile Second decile Third decile Total children by characteristic
Excluding self-employed
Two parents 1.0 0.8 0.7 0.9 0.7 0.7 8.1
One parent 0.3 0.7 0.7 0.5 0.9 0.6 2.8
Working parents 0.4 0.5 0.7 0.4 0.5 0.7 7.7
Non-working parents 1.0 1.0 0.6 1.1 1.2 0.5 3.2
1994–95
Including self-employed
Two parents 1.2 1.0 0.9 1.2 1.0 0.9 10.0
One parent 0.3 0.7 0.6 0.4 0.9 0.6 2.6
Working parents 0.7 0.7 0.9 0.7 0.6 0.9 9.7
Non-working parents 0.9 1.0 0.6 0.8 1.3 0.6 3.1
Excluding self-employed
Two parents 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.9 0.8 0.7 8.3
One parent 0.3 0.7 0.5 0.4 0.9 0.5 2.6
Working parents 0.3 0.6 0.7 0.4 0.5 0.7 7.8
Non-working parents 1.0 0.9 0.6 0.9 1.2 0.5 3.0

Source:

Family Resources Survey

Numbers of children living in households in the bottom three deciles of the income distribution by characteristics of family type and economic status in the United Kingdom in 1979
Million
Before housing costs After housing costs
Bottom decile Second decile Third decile Bottom decile Second decile Third decile Total children by characteristic
Including self-employed
Two parents 1.2 1.1 1.4 1.2 1.1 1.6 12.3
One parent 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.2 1.4
Working parents 0.7 1.1 1.6 0.8 1.1 1.7 12.4
Non-working parents 0.7 0.4 0.1 0.7 0.3 0.2 1.5
Excluding self-employed
Two parents 0.9 1.0 1.3 1.0 1.0 1.4 11.1
One parent 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.2 1.4
Working parents 0.5 1.0 1.4 0.5 1.0 1.5 11.1
Non-working parents 0.8 0.4 0.1 0.7 0.3 0.2 1.5

Notes:

  1. 1. All figures are estimates and are taken from the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data sets. The current series is based on the Family Resources Survey (FRS) and is available for years 1994–95 to 1997–98 and covers Great Britain but not Northern Ireland. Information is also provided for 1979 from the previous HBAI series which was based on the Family Expenditure Survey and covered the United Kingdom. The two series are not strictly comparable due to changes in definition.
  2. 2. The figures presented will be subject to sampling error. Figures for children are sensitive to the choice of equivalence scale.
  3. 3. Figures may not sum due to rounding. The results for children according to the number of parents in the family exclude a small number of children who live with pensioners. These children are included in the breakdown by economic type.
  4. 4. The income measure used is weekly net (disposable) equivalised household income (that is to say income that is adjusted to reflect The composition of the household). It is standard HBAI practice to give results for income both before and after housing costs, in order to allow for the effect of variations in housing costs between households. Results are also provided including and excluding the self-employed, reflecting the inherent uncertainty of income measures for the self-employed.
  5. 5. Three deciles are shown because in 1997–98 the half average point After Housing Costs lies in the third decile. The Before Housing Costs half average in 1997–98 lies in the second decile. Results for the bottom decile should be treated with caution as evidence suggests that income data for these households may be subject to measurement error.

Source:

Family Resources Survey