Future of an Ageing Population

100
90
80
Unweighted data
Weighted data K
Percentage of families (%)
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1971
1975
1979
1983
1987
1991
1995
1999
2003
2007
2011
Year
Family type:
Lone father
Lone mother
Married/cohabiting family
Figure 5.2: Families with dependent children by family type, 1971-2011, Great Britain K, 129 .
While reconstituted or step-families are not new, the trajectories into this
family form have changed. Historically, widowhood was the most common
path into a step-family; today, single parenthood, separation or divorce, are the
main pathways. In addition, step-father families – where the children reside
with the mother and step-father – are now much more common than in the
past, where death in childbirth usually removed the mother and the children
were brought up by a step-mother 130 .
A decrease in fertility is increasing childlessness. The proportion of childless
women in the UK has increased from 11% amongst those born in 1942 to 18%
for those born in 1969 L,131 . Individuals may have few or no ‘vertical’ kin: no
children or grandchildren, or no surviving parents or grandparents. This may be
due to childbearing and mortality patterns, but may also be socially constructed
– for example men, in particular, may lose contact with their biological children
following divorce. Table 5.1 shows how levels of childlessness are projected to
increase over the next decades, with a disproportionate impact on 65-74 year
old men.
K Weighting of data is used to correct for non-respondents to the survey and to match the results
obtained to the characteristics of the UK population in terms of age group, gender and region. Weighted
data are not available for years prior to 1988. Although weighting will have some impact on the average
household size, both weighted and unweighted data have been included to allow some comparison of
long–term trends.
L These data define ‘childlessness’ as having no surviving children.
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