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 26 March 2026.
Changes to the latest 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 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 are small, making a difference of up to a single percentage point either way, compared to the existing figures. Revised 2022 to 2023 data is included in the latest 2023 to 2024 publication. The tables affected relate to the position of separated parent households in the Great Britain income distribution.
FRS questionnaire enhancement 2022 to 2023
In the 2022 to 2023 release, a new question response that provided an opportunity to identify additional parents with care with non-statutory arrangements was not reflected in the Separated Families Statistics. As a result of this change, small numbers of parents who would previously be classified as having no arrangement are now classified as having a non-statutory arrangement. Revised 2022 to 2023 analysis is included in the latest 2023 to 2024 publication. Impacts are small, making a difference of up to two percentage points either way, compared to previous figures. Similar changes have been included for non-resident parents, although the impact is smaller. The tables affected relate to:
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the proportion of separated families with a child maintenance arrangement
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the position of separated parent households with non-statutory arrangements or no arrangement in the Great Britain income distribution
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the percentage of children in parent with care households who remain in low income after child maintenance payments
New data tables added
The latest release includes additional tables on the characteristics of Parents with Care and Non-Resident Parents by child maintenance arrangement type. The tables display breakdowns of Parents with Care and Non-Resident Parents by child maintenance arrangement type and:
- age
- sex
- disability status
- ethnic group
- marital status
Developments to the upcoming release
Replacing survey responses with administrative data
Following changes to the Family Resources Survey and Households Below Average Income data on which these statistics are based, income from the major DWP benefits will be based on administrative data rather than survey responses. This change will improve accuracy and the overall quality of our statistics. It is expected to affect income-related measures, including estimates of the number and percentage of children in low-income households, and may also influence the position of separated parent households within the income distribution.
Further detail on Family Resources Survey developments can be found on the Family Resources Survey: release strategy.
Further detail on Households Below Average Income developments can be found on the Households Below Average Income statistics: release strategy.
Updating the absolute low-income reference year
The reference year for absolute poverty will move from 2010 to 2011, to 2024 to 2025. The reference year is 60% of median income in that year, adjusted for inflation. This change is needed because of the improvements to income data resulting from replacing survey responses on major DWP benefits with administrative data. For 2024 to 2025, relative and absolute poverty rates will be the same.
Revisions
While the use of administrative data will result in updates to previous releases of the Family Resources Survey and Households Below Average Income later in 2026, we do not plan to revise Separated families statistics publications for earlier years as affected measures are not published as part of a time series. Instead, we will include estimates of the impact of these changes in the forthcoming publication.
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
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Information has been added about 'developments to the upcoming release'.
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Updated to include latest Separated families statistics: April 2014 to March 2024.
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Added information to the page that the next release of separated families statistics will be published on 27 March 2025.
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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.