Share of children living with a single parent in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Share of children living with a single parent was 20.8 in 2018. β–¬ Flat

Latest (2018)
20.8
Change on year
down 3.7%
World rank
8th
of 34 countries
All-time high
25.7
in 2005
All-time low
20.1
in 2011
Years of data
14
2005–2018

Share of children living with a single parent in United Kingdom, 2005–2018

01020302005201120182005: 25.72006: 23.82007: 21.72008: 20.92009: 222010: 21.22011: 20.12012: 24.12013: 23.42014: 23.82015: 24.52016: 23.22017: 21.62018: 20.8

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for share of children living with a single parent in United Kingdom is 20.8, measured in 2018.

The figure is down 3.7% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of children living with a single parent in United Kingdom peaked at 25.7 in 2005 and was at its lowest, 20.1, in 2011.

United Kingdom ranks 8th of 34 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 22.82 20.9 25.7 5
2010s 22.52 20.1 24.5 9

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 5 Sweden 21.9 compare
  2. 6 Bulgaria 21.6 compare
  3. 7 Latvia 21.2 compare
  4. 9 Belgium 20.1 compare
  5. 10 Finland 19.5 compare
  6. 11 Canada 19.1 compare

See the full ranking of 34 places β†’

More reference data data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom β†’

Frequently asked questions

What is share of children living with a single parent in United Kingdom?
Share of children living with a single parent in United Kingdom was 20.8 in 2018, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of children living with a single parent recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 25.7 in 2005.
What is the lowest share of children living with a single parent recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 20.1 in 2011.
How does United Kingdom rank for share of children living with a single parent?
United Kingdom ranks 8th out of 34 countries with data for 2018.
Is share of children living with a single parent rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children living with a single parent. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of children living with a single parent in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 20 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-children-living-with-a-single-parent/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of children living with a single parent
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
34 places, 630 data points, 2001–2023
Last refreshed