The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 5 March 2008:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question on how many couple households (a) with and (b) without dependent children there were in each year since 1992; how many and what proportion of these were couples of working age where (i) one and (ii) both were (A) in and (B) out of work in each category. (191324)
This question has been answered on a family basis rather than household basis because more than one couple can live in a household. In addition figures provided are for working age couples in the United Kingdom, that is where both partners are of working-age (men aged 16-64 and women aged 16-59).
‘Out of work’ has been interpreted to include those unemployed or economically inactive.
Dependent children are defined as children under 16 years of age and those aged 16-18 who have never-married and are in full time education.
The information is given in the table attached. The figures in the table are estimates from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) for the three month period ending in June of each year for 1997, 1999 and 2001 to 2007. Comparable estimates for 1992-1996, 1998 and 2000 are not currently available.
The LFS is a sample survey covering over 52,000 households in the United Kingdom in each three month period. As with any sample survey, estimates from the Labour Force Survey are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
Thousand and percentage3 Thousand Percentage Total4 Both partners employed Both partners not employed One employed and one not employed Total Both partners employed Both partners not employed One employed and one not employed Couples with dependent children 1997 5,661 3,555 430 1,507 100 65 8 27 1998 5— 5— 5— 5— 5— 5— 5— 5— 1999 5,590 3,600 354 1,455 100 67 6 27 2000 5— 5— 5— 5— 5— 5— 5— 5— 2001 5,563 3,624 346 1,404 100 67 6 26 2002 5,506 3,580 326 1,412 100 67 6 27 2003 5,471 3,540 295 1,407 100 68 6 27 2004 5,467 3,552 307 1,398 100 68 6 27 2005 5,489 3,592 296 1,365 100 68 6 26 2006 5,460 3,560 298 1,392 100 68 6 27 2007 5,444 3,565 282 1,364 100 68 5 26 Couples without dependent children6 1997 5,241 3,414 491 1,091 100 68 10 22 1998 5— 5— 5— 5— 5— 5— 5— 5— 1999 5,257 3,459 461 1,071 100 69 9 22 2000 5— 5— 5— 5— 5— 5— 5— 5— 2001 5,323 3,596 424 1,048 100 71 8 21 2002 5,329 3,579 413 1,041 100 71 8 21 2003 5,342 3,596 388 1,021 100 72 8 20 2004 5,299 3,595 413 975 100 72 8 20 2005 5,271 3,575 382 967 100 73 8 20 2006 5,253 3,542 370 973 100 73 8 20 2007 5,216 3,551 378 943 100 73 8 19 1 Both members of the couple are of working age (men aged 16-64 and women aged 16-59). 2 Dependent children are those aged under 16 and those aged or 16-18 who have never married and are in full-time education. 3 When calculating percentages, the couples with unknown economic status are excluded. 4 Includes couples with unknown economic status of one or both members. 5 Comparable estimates for 1998 and 2000 are not currently available. 6 Couples without dependent children includes couples with no children Note: As with any sample survey, estimates from the Labour Force Survey are subject to a margin or uncertainty. Estimates are weighted to the population estimates published by ONS in February and March 2003. Source: ONS Labour Force Survey.