Demographic Trends

McKeown

Improved nutrition was the main reason for the decline in death rates, more than medical advances.

Hirsch

Ageing population will require policy changes, such as raising the retirement age and encouraging lifelong housing mobility.

Spijker and MacInnes

Older people are healthier for longer and contribute economically (e.g. through work and volunteering), so shouldn’t be seen as burdens.

McRobbie

Girls' priorities have shifted from marriage to education and careers, causing lower birth rates and later childbearing.

Raghuram and Erel

Migrant women play key roles in family care and domestic work, often supporting dual-earner households in the UK.

Castles and Miller

Modern migration is part of a global trend with super-diversity, meaning more variety in migrants' legal statuses, origins, and family structures.

UK Census 2021 – Family Growth

In 2021, there were 19.3 million families in the UK, a 7% increase since 2011

ONS 2021 – Lone Parent Families

Lone parent families accounted for 15% of all families in 2021, North East was 18%, South East was 13%

ONS 2021 – Cohabiting Couples

Cohabiting couple families increased by 23% in 2021, reaching 3.6 million.

ONS 2021 – Step-Families

In 2021, there were 781,000 step-families in the UK; 70% contained dependent children, and most step-parents were male (82%).

ONS 2021 – One-Person Households

In 2021, 8.4 million people lived alone in the UK, accounting for 30% of all households, half were aged 65 or older.

ONS 2021 – Young Adults Living at Home

In 2021, 28% of adults aged 20–34 lived with their parents, up from 26% in 2013

ONS 2021 – Median Age Increase

The median age in England and Wales rose to 40 years in 2021, up from 39 in 2011, indicating an ageing population.

ONS 2021 – Families with Non-Dependent Children

In 2021, 29% of families with children had only non-dependent children, up from 27% in 2011