Separated families statistics
Statistics relating to separated families and their child maintenance arrangements.
These statistics provide estimates of the following:
- the total number of separated families in Great Britain and the number of children in those families
- the proportion of separated families with child maintenance arrangements and whether this arrangement is statutory or non-statutory
- the total amount of child maintenance received by Parents With Care, by arrangement type
- the net impact of child maintenance payments on the number of children in low income households
- characteristics of separated parents and the impacts of child maintenance payments on where their household memebers are represented in the income distribution
From 25 March 2021, the name of this statistical series changed from ‘Separated families population statistics’ to ‘Separated families statistics’.
Changes to the latest release of the Separated families statistics
The latest release of statistics was published on 21 March 2024.
Status of these statistics
In Spring 2023, the Chief Statistician for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) led an internal review of all experimental official statistics produced by DWP. This is in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics. The review found that it was appropriate to remove the experimental label from this publication because it was concluded that the statistics are suitable and of public value. As of 21 March 2024, these statistics are classed as ‘official statistics’.
New data tables added
The latest release includes additional tables on poverty and incomes by child maintenance arrangement type. The tables display breakdowns by child maintenance arrangement type of:
- the net impact of child maintenance on the number of children in low income households
- the percentage of children who remain in low income after child maintenance
- the position of separated parent household members in the Great Britain income distribution
Methodological changes
The latest release includes a methodological improvement to the way we calculate the net impact of child maintenance payments on the number of children living in absolute low income.
An additional change improves the representation of Non-Resident Parents in the existing table breakdowns.
Cost of Living Support Schemes
During 2022 to 2023 the government announced and implemented additional support to families with several cost of living support schemes, depending on peoples’ circumstances. These payments are included in the estimates of separated families’ incomes.
Further information
Find future separated families publication dates in our statistics release calendar and other DWP statistics on the statistics at DWP page.
Email: cm.analysis.research@dwp.gov.uk with feedback and queries.
DWP’s statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR).
OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.
You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards.
Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the Office for Statistics Regulation website.
There is contact information and more about DWP statistics on the statistics at DWP page.
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Updates to this page
Last updated 21 March 2024 + show all updates
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Added a link to the latest release of Separated families statistics (data for April 2014 to March 2023).
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Added information to the page about changes to the next release of the Separated families statistics. The next release will be published on 21 March 2024.
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Added a link to the latest release of Separated families statistics (data for April 2014 to March 2022).
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Added a link to the latest release of Separated families statistics (data for April 2014 to March 2021).
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Added a link to the latest release of Separated families statistics (data for April 2014 to March 2020).
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Added a note about the information in the next release of Separated families population statistics, this will be published on 25 March 2021.
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Added a link to the latest release of Separated families population statistics, April 2014 to March 2018.
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Change made to the note about what's included in the next release of these statistics (due for publication on 26 March 2020).
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Added a note that additional information will be included in the next release of these statistics (on 26 March 2020).
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First published.