Traditional Breadwinner Families Now Largest Group In Poverty

According to figures from NatCen for Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), among the 1.3 million families with children living in poverty:

• 31% (400,000 families) are couple families with a single breadwinner;
• 16% (210,000 families) are dual earning couples;
• 8% (105,000 families) are working lone parents;
• The remaining families are either workless single parents or workless couples.

Another report by IPPR points out the number of single breadwinner couple families has been falling in recent decades, largely the result of social change, with more women wanting to work - but in some cases women need or want to work to make ends meet for their family. The report highlights the need to support more dual earning couples and to enable lone parents to work, or to work more hours, in order to reduce poverty.
Katie Schmuecker, Policy and Research Manager at JRF, said: “The traditional family model where one parent – usually dad – goes out to work and supports his family does not offer a guaranteed route out of poverty in Britain today. Our low pay jobs market means many families that are reliant on a single breadwinner find it hard to make ends meet.

traditional-breadwinner-families-now-largest-group-in-poverty Joseph Rowntree Foundation 13 November 2013