Press release: Workless households fall by over a million since 2010

New figures reveal a near record low number of children living in workless households. The number of lone parent households in employment is up 107,000 since 2010 – a 9.8% increase

The plummet in the number of households where no one works is transforming children’s prospects, the Employment Minister said today as he welcomed latest figures placing parents at the heart of Britain’s jobs boom.

New figures today (6 March 2019) from the Office for National Statistics revealed that since 2010 the number of workless households has fallen by over a million – to a record low – while the number of children in workless households is down by 665,000.

The data showed that over the last year the number of households where no one works has dropped by 144,000 with 9 in 10 children now living in a working household.

The number of lone parent households in employment is up 107,000 since 2010 – a rise of almost 10%.

These positive trends are welcome news, with research showing that children with one or more parents in work are more likely do to better in school and more likely to be in work when they are older.

Minister of State for Employment Alok Sharma said:

When people talk about employment, it’s often in terms of jobs created and business investment.

Of course that is vital to provide a picture of employment levels across the whole country, but it does not always speak to the human story of what is going on in individual homes across the country – with working adults being hugely important role models in children’s lives.

Making sure we have a strong jobs market and supporting people into work means we can break cycles of worklessness and give children the best start in life.

Media enquiries for this press release – 020 3267 5144

Follow DWP on: