As has been seen in previous years non-married women aged 16 to 59 with dependent children were more likely than those without dependent children to be cohabiting. In 2001:

• 34% of non-married women with dependent children were cohabiting, compared with 25% of non-married women without dependent children;
• 45% of single women with dependent children were cohabiting, compared with 26% of single women without dependent children.

Among women aged 16 to 59 who were currently cohabiting;

• over two thirds (69%) with dependent children were single while 24% were divorced and 6% separated;
• just under three quarters (74%) of cohabiting women aged 16 to 59 without dependent children were single compared with 22% who were divorced and 3% separated.