There were substantial differences in gross weekly household income between different types of families with dependent children.

• Married couples with children had the highest incomes. Six out of ten of these families (61%) had household incomes of over £500, compared with four out of ten (39%) cohabiting couples with dependent children, and one in ten lone parents.

• Among lone mothers, 9% had household incomes of over £500 and over compared with 21% of lone fathers.

Lone parents had markedly lower gross weekly household incomes than married or cohabiting couples with dependent children:

• over a third (36%) of lone parent families had gross weekly household incomes of £150 or less, compared with 10% of married couples and 15% of cohabiting couples with dependent children;

• there was no statistically significant difference between lone mothers and lone fathers in the proportion with incomes of £150 or less.

Single (never married) lone mothers were particularly likely to have low gross weekly household incomes:

• over half of single mothers (51%) had incomes of £150 or less compared with 28% of divorced lone mothers and 26% of separated lone mothers.