Most of us live in a household. A household may be a person who lives alone, with his/her family or with non-relatives, for example students in a house share.

Those who do not live in a household may include the one percent of people in the UK who live in residential establishments or institutions like care homes or prisons.

According to the 2001 Census, ethnicity can have a bearing on the size or nature of a household. For example

• Multigenerational extended families make up a higher proportion of households where the family is of Bangladeshi, Pakistani or black Caribbean heritage.
• Bangladeshi and Pakistani households generally contain more people that white British households.

The number of people living in single person households has increased in recent decades. One reason for this is an ageing population – for example, the large number of widows who have outlived their husbands. In addition, females are now more financially independent and more able to support themselves prior to, or after, marriage.

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The effects of divorce

Divorce can have financial and emotional consequences as well as an influence on the shape of the modern family. Some effects include:

• An increase in the number of lone-parent and reconstituted families as well as one-person households.
• A reduction in income which results in a lower standard of living.
• Stress and sadness which may lead to poor mental health.
• A loss of contact between a child and his/her parents.
• Continuing conflict between the former husband and wife which may have a harmful emotional impact on the child.