Household definition

According to the Household Projections: England prepared by the Department for Communities and Local Government, a household, as defined in the 2011 Census is:

‘one person living alone; or a group of people (not necessarily related) living at the same address who share cooking facilities and share a living room or sitting room or dining area’.

The previous definition used in the 2001 Census was:

‘one person living alone or a group of people (not necessarily related) living at the same address with common housekeeping – that is, sharing either a living room or sitting room or at least one meal a day’.

The definition was altered to take into account social changes and modern living arrangements.

The National Statistics harmonised survey definition of a household is:

One person or a group of people who have the accommodation as their only or main residence AND (for a group):

• either share at least one meal a day, or
• share the living accommodation, that is, a living room or sitting room.

The occupant(s) of a bedsit who do not share a sitting or living room with anyone else comprise a single household.

NB: From April 2001, Government surveys, replaced the traditional concept of the "head of the household" (HOH) with a "household reference person" (HRP). See household reference person for more information.

In July 2018, an NHBC report, 'The changing shape of UK households' published the following key facts about UK households in 2017:

• £3.4 milion – number of households with 20 to 34-year olds living with parents.
• 57% - proportion of households consisting of just one or two adults.
• 39% - proportion of households with children.
• 4%- proportion of other household types, eg. House share, multigenerational living.
• 28% - proportion of people living alone.
• 10% - proportion of single-parent families.

(Ref. http://www.nhbc.co.uk/media-centre/articles/pressreleases/changing-shape-of-uk-households/)

The English Housing Survey, Energy efficiency, 2018-19, published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government in July 2020 suggests the main classification of household type uses the following categories:

• Couple no dependent child(ren).
• Couple with dependent child(ren).
• Couple with dependent and independent child(ren).
• Couple with independent child(ren).
• Lone parent with dependent child(ren).
• Lone parent with dependent and independent child(ren).
• Lone parent with independent child(ren).
• Two or more families.
• Lone person sharing with other lone persons.
• One male.
• One female.

English Housing Survey, Headline Report, 2020-21, published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in 2021, defines a new household as: ‘Where neither the household reference person (HRP) nor their spouse/partner occupied the HRP’s previous permanent accommodation, in either of their names. The EHS (English Housing Survey) does not differentiate between previous accommodation within England and outside of England (including abroad).’

The glossary of statistical terms, published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), suggests the types of household that could be distinguished in a census could be:

• One–person household.
• Nuclear household.
• Extended household.
• Composite household.
• Other/unknown.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Apartment.
• Domestic building.
• Dwellinghouse.
• Extended household.
• Flat definition.
• Household reference person.
• Maisonette.
• Nuclear household.
• Residential definition.
• Resident.
• Room for residential purposes.
• Sheltered housing definition.
• Terraced house.
• Types of building.
• Types of dwelling.