Families in the UK have been changing
Today, there are several common types of family arrangements:
- Traditional families, where all children live with both of their biological or adoptive parents
- Single-parent families, where children live with one biological or adoptive parent
- Stepfamilies, where only one adult has a biological or legal relationship with the children in the household
- Blended families, where each adult is a biological parent to at least one child, and at least one is also a stepparent to another
A welfare system out of step
As family structures have become more diverse and parental relationships more fluid, the UK welfare system has moved in the opposite direction – toward greater means testing. Since 2013, child benefit has been subject to a High Income Child Benefit Charge, which now affects around 1 in 5 UK families. This shift assumes that all adults in a household share equal financial and legal responsibilities for children—an assumption that increasingly fails to reflect reality.
The crux of the problem
People living together may not share equal legal or financial obligations for the children in their home. While welfare policies treat households as unified economic units, legal responsibility is still determined by biological or adoptive ties. The system also overlooks maintenance payments from non-resident biological parents, which can further distort how resources – and responsibilities – are distributed.
The contrasting trajectories of family forms and welfare means-testing was the focus of a recent talk by Professor Susan Harkness (University of Bristol, School for Policy Studies) at the London School of Economics.
What the data shows
Drawing on Understanding Society data (2009–2022), Professor Harkness explored how ‘complex families’ are disproportionately affected by the expansion of means testing. She found that when mothers re-partner:
- Total family income increases
- Equivalised income (adjusted for family size) increases
- Maternal income decreases
- Maternal benefits decrease
In other words, re-partnering improves household finances on paper, but in practice, it can reduce a mother’s individual income and benefit entitlements, limiting her financial independence and potentially affecting child wellbeing.
Professor Harkness’s findings point to a key conclusion: cohabiting does not necessarily indicate shared financial responsibility for children. Relying on household-level means testing fails to account for the nuances of modern family life, and may inadvertently penalise mothers and children in step and blended families.
Watch Professor Susan Harkness’s full talk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz0T-r5Q0so
