universal credit Archives - Marriage Foundation

The problem isn’t childcare: It’s our perverse anti-family tax and benefits systems

This week the chancellor announced that from 2025 parents will be offered free childcare for their children as young as 9 months old. Whereas parents will now be able to send their tiny children to be looked after by strangers outside of the family, there is no equivalent provision to support those who prefer to […]

The couple penalty: the perverse family policy that penalises commitment

In the budget this week, the Chancellor announced a couple of things that will benefit quite a lot of families in the short term. But in failing to address the couple penalty in the welfare system that massively penalises couples who commit, to the tune of £,000s per year, he has neglected the long term. […]

Family breakdown costs £50bn a year

When couples split up, families move from one to two households. Poverty is a common outcome that affects children. Six out of ten lone parents are supported by the state compared to one out of ten couple parents. That's where most of the £50bn is spent.

UK Among highest family breakdown in Europe

Five years ago, the UK had the highest rate of family breakdown in Europe. We're not doing as badly today, but only because of big falls in divorce rates. Alas there's no sign of a similar improvement among cohabitees

Lower Divorce Rates – Higher Lone Parents

Divorce rates have plummeted over the past 3 decades, but the number of lone parents has doubled in the same period. Why?... Because unmarried parents make up only one in five cohabiting parents but are responsible for one half of all family breakdown.

Stability is found in Marriage

Whereas stability is the norm if parents are married (75% stay together), it is the exception if they are not (30% stay together). As a result, among parents of teens who are still together as a couple, nine out of ten are married

Single Most Important Factor

The single most important factor in a child’s healthy development is the stable relationship of the parents. Our groundbreaking research shows that family breakdown is the #1 predictor of teenage mental health problems.

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Tag: universal credit

The problem isn’t childcare: It’s our perverse anti-family tax and benefits systems

The couple penalty: the perverse family policy that penalises commitment

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