lone parent families

• why's there been increase?

  -increase in divorce & seperation

  -increase in never married women
• in 2013

  -10.6% of all households

  -22% of all families with children

  -90% are female headed
• the new right

  -believe are bad for society

  -'dependency culture'

  -too reliant on state for money

  -no longer motivated to work & provide for themself
• Charles Murray


  -sees growth resulting from over generous welfare state providing benefits

  -created 'perverse incentive' > rewards irresponsible behaviour

  -solution > abolish welfare benefits to reduce dependency culture
• evaluation of benefits

  -critics argue benefits are far from generous

  -lone parent families much more likely to end up in poverty due to:

  > lack of affordable childcare

  > women typically earn less

  > fathers failure to pay child maintenance

  > inadequate benefits from state
• reconstituted families in 2013

  -over 10% of all families with children

  -over 85% have at least one child from woman's previous relationship

  -11% have at least one child from man's previous relationship

  -4% have children from both parents