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 members 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’.
Next release of the Separated families statistics
The next release of Separated families statistics will be published on 27 March 2025.
Changes to the next release
Cost of Living Support Schemes 2023 to 2024
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 will continue to be included in the estimates of separated families’ incomes for 2023 to 2024.
Correction to Cost of Living Support Schemes 2022 to 2023
In the 2022 to 2023 release, one element of the low income benefits and tax credits Cost of Living Payment was not included, which has impacted on some data tables and text on GOV.UK. Impacts will be small, making a difference of up to a single percentage point either way, compared to the existing figures. Revised 2022 to 2023 data will be included in the new 2023 to 2024 publication. The tables affected relate to the position of separated parent households in the Great Britain income distribution.
New data tables added
The next release will include additional tables on the characteristics of Parents with Care and Non-Resident Parents by child maintenance arrangement type. The tables will display breakdowns of Parents with Care and Non-Resident Parents by child maintenance arrangement type and:
- age
- sex
- disability status
- race
- marital status
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.
Latest release
Previous release
Related publications
Updates to this page
Published 17 April 2019Last updated 27 February 2025 + show all updates
-
Added information to the page that the next release of separated families statistics will be published on 27 March 2025.
-
Added a link to the latest release of Separated families statistics (data for April 2014 to March 2023).
-
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.
-
Added a link to the latest release of Separated families statistics (data for April 2014 to March 2022).
-
Added a link to the latest release of Separated families statistics (data for April 2014 to March 2021).
-
Added a link to the latest release of Separated families statistics (data for April 2014 to March 2020).
-
Added a note about the information in the next release of Separated families population statistics, this will be published on 25 March 2021.
-
Added a link to the latest release of Separated families population statistics, April 2014 to March 2018.
-
Change made to the note about what's included in the next release of these statistics (due for publication on 26 March 2020).
-
Added a note that additional information will be included in the next release of these statistics (on 26 March 2020).
-
First published.