An article examined changes in economic and social role occupancy in Great Britain across four birth cohorts passing through mid-life over the period 1985 to 2000. It was found that the proportion of people with multiple role commitments in mid-life (for example, work, care for children and care for dependent parents) is relatively low at any one point in time: but the likelihood of having multiple role commitments appears to be increasing across successive birth cohorts. Multiple role responsibilities make little difference to entitlement to basic state pensions: but there are significant differences with respect to entitlement to second tier pensions, with women (especially mothers) being particularly disadvantaged. Moreover, combining paid employment with caregiving was not an option for a significant minority of women with caring responsibilities in mid-life.
Source: Maria Evandrou and Karen Glaser, 'Changing economic and social roles: the experience of four cohorts of mid-life individuals in Britain, 1985 2000', Population Trends 110, Winter 2002, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf) | Research findings (pdf) | ESRC press release
Date: 2002-Dec
A research paper examined the length of cohabiting unions, and the time it takes people who have dissolved a marriage or cohabiting union to find a new partner.
Source: John Ermisch, Trying Again: Repartnering after Dissolution of a Union, Working Paper 2002-19, Institute for Social and Economic Research/University of Essex (01206 873087)
Links: Working Paper (pdf) | Abstract
Date: 2002-Oct
A survey found that young men and women in Scotland are much more likely to live on their own than young people in England.
Source: John Ermisch, Living in Scotland, Institute for Social and Economic Research/University of Essex (01206 873087)
Links: Press release
Date: 2002-Oct
A paper argued that the decline of the two-parent, married-couple family has resulted in poverty, ill-health, educational failure, anti-social behaviour, isolation and social exclusion for thousands of women, men and children.
Source: Rebecca O'Neill, Experiments in Living - The Fatherless Family, Civitas (020 7401 5470)
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2002-Sep
The number of lone-parent families in Great Britain in 2000 was provisionally estimated at 1.75 million, one in four of all families with dependent children (compared to one in five in 1991).
Source: John Haskey, 'One-parent families - and the dependent children living in them - in Great Britain', Population Trends 109, Autumn 2002, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf)
Date: 2002-Sep
The first in a new series of official reports examined children's social circumstances, education, health and lifestyle. About 20 per cent of children in Britain lived in a lone parent family in 2001, compared with 12 per cent 20 years earlier.
Source: Social Focus in Brief: Children, 2002, Office for National Statistics (web publication only)
Links: Report (pdf) | ONS press release
Date: 2002-Jul
An article reported large differences between ethnic groups in Britain in their views about ideal family size. Indian and Pakistani groups expressed a preference for significantly larger families.
Source: Roger Penn and Paul Lambert, 'Attitudes towards ideal family size of different ethnic/nationality groups in Great Britain, France and Germany', Population Trends 108, Summer 2002, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf)
Date: 2002-Jun