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News: Older singleton households set to balloon

The number of households in England is projected to increase from 20.9 million in 2003 to 25.7 million by 2026, an annual growth of 209,000, according to new figures released this week.

The revised projections from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are trend based and indicate what would happen if past demographic changes continue.

They show a massive 53% rise in single households over the period, compared to the overall figure of 23% for the same years.

The ODPM report said, "One person households account for 150,000 of the 209,000 annual growth. Most of these one person households are in the older age groups."

About 60% of the projected household growth is within the East, London, South East, and the South West.

Most of the additional growth compared with the previous projections is in the North West, Yorkshire and Humberside and in the West and East Midlands.

Growth in Household Numbers:

Some 123,000 of the 209,000 additional households per year is attributable to the adult population growth, 39,000 due to changing age distribution and 43,000 due increasing household formation.

The number of married couple households is projected to fall quickly over the 23 years. This is partly offset by an increase in cohabiting couple households, but the number of married / cohabiting households is still projected to fall from around 55% of all households in 2003 to 47% in 2026.

The numbers of lone parent households and ‘other multi-person households’ are projected to increase approximately in line with overall household growth.

The new household projections are based on updated projections of household formation from the 2001 Census, the Office for National Statistics and Government Actuary's Department.

Household projections by household type

Household types

Number of
households

Number of
households

Number of
households

Average annual
change

 

2003

2021

2026

2003 -2026

Married couples

9,608,000

8,935,000

8,834,000

-34,000

Cohabiting couple

1,867,000

3,148,000

3,358,000

65,000

Lone parent

1,566,000

1,837,000

1,876,000

13,000

Other multi-person

1,416,000

1,698,000

1,759,000

15,000

One person

6,447,000

9,164,000

9,886,000

150,000

All households

20,904,000

24,781,000

25,713,000

209,000

Average household
size

2.34

2.14

2.10

 

 

One-person households by age

Age

2003

2026

Average annual increase

Under 25

226,000

254,000

1,000

25 - 34

797,000

1,048,000

11,000

35 - 44

923,000

1,460,000

23,000

45 - 54

834,000

1,415,000

25,000

55 - 64

947,000

1,792,000

37,000

65 - 74

1,061,000

1,559,000

22,000

75 and over

1,659,000

2,359,000

30,000

Total

6,447,000

9,886,000

150,000

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