HC Deb 17 December 1998 vol 322 c718W
Mr. MacShane

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate(a) how many children are living in households which have below half average income and (b) how many children live in households headed by (i) a married couple, (ii) a cohabiting couple and (iii) a lone parent; and if he will break down the figures between (A) two working parents, (B) one working parent and (C) no working parent families. [64673]

Angela Eagle

The information is in the tables.

The estimated total numbers of children living in households below half average income for the financial year 1996–97 in Great Britain
million
Number of children
Before housing costs (BHC) measure of income 3.3
After housing costs (AHC) measure of income 4.5
Number of children living in households with below half average income by family type and economic status of parents
million
Couples
1996–97 Married Co-habiting Lone parents
Before housing costs (BHC)
2 working parents 0.3 1 0.0
1 working parent 0.8 1 0.0
0 working parents 0.7 1 1.2
Total 1.8 0.3 1.2
After housing costs (AHC)
2 working parents 0.4 1 0.0
1 working parent 1.0 1 0.0
0 working parents 0.8 1 1.9
Total 2.2 0.4 1.9
1 The figures for co-habiting couples are not shown because their respective sample sizes are too small to provide robust figures at the required level of detail. However, approximately half of the children belonging to all such couples live in households with at least one working parent

Note:

All figures are estimates taken from the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data set based on the Family Resources Survey (FRS)