英国单亲家庭比例高居西欧之首

Britain has a higher proportion of single parent families than any other country in Western Europe, official figures show.

官方数据显示，英国单亲家庭比例高于任何西欧其他国家。

An analysis across the EU showed that nearly one in five British families are headed by a single adult.

针对欧盟国家进行的一项调查分析显示，将近五分之一的英国家庭由单亲操持。

And while 18.4 per cent of families in this country have a solo parent, numbers come to just 12.7 per cent in Germany, 14.4 per cent in France and 10.6 per cent in the Netherlands.

在英国，单亲家庭百分比为18.4%，而德国只有12.7%的单亲家庭，法国14.4%，荷兰10.6%。

In Belgium – long considered the closest continental comparison to Britain for single parents – the share is 16.1 per cent. In Ireland, it is 18.1 per cent.

长期以来，比利时被公认为欧洲大陆上和英国单亲家庭比例最接近的国家，该国这比例为16.1%。爱尔兰的单亲家庭比例为18.1%。

The proportion of single parents is higher only in Eastern Europe, which have suffered a lack of state support for the family unit and high levels of social problems such as alcoholism.

单亲家庭比例只在东欧国家较高。这些国家的家庭缺少国家财政扶持，加之国内酗酒等社会问题严重，都可能导致高单亲家庭比例。

The figures, published by the EU statistics arm Eurostat, are fresh evidence of the decline of family stability in Britain.

欧盟统计局（Eurostat）发布的数据成为英国家庭稳定性下滑的最新证明。

Last week it emerged that 16-year-olds in this country are more likely to have a smartphone (62 per cent) than live with both parents (57 per cent).

上周得出的数据显示，相较选择和父母一起生活（57%），当今的16岁英国青少年更愿选择和手机为伴（62%）。

Family researcher and author Patricia Morgan said: ‘It is deplorable that we now find ourselves in the same situation as Eastern European countries.’

家庭问题研究者兼作家帕特丽夏·摩根（Patricia Morgan）说：“可叹的是，到头来我们发现，我们自己和东欧国家落得同样的处境。”

Despite children from two parent families being more likely to do well at school and have good health, the UK accounts for five of the top 20 cities in Europe for single parenting.

尽管双亲家庭的孩子可能学业更佳，更健康，但是在欧洲前20个单亲家庭城市中，英国占了5个。

According to the latest EU analysis, these include Belfast, where 34.6 per cent of families are lone parent; Liverpool has 31.5 per cent; Glasgow 31 per cent; the Inner London East zone 30.7 per cent; and Birmingham 26.9 per cent.

根据最新欧盟数据分析，英国的5个城市中，贝尔法斯特（Belfast）单亲家庭比例为34.6%，利物浦为31.5%，格拉斯哥为31%，伦敦东区为30.7%，伯明翰市为26.9%。

While divorce rates have been falling in recent years, rates of break-up among cohabiting parents remain four times higher than those for married couples.

近年来，尽管离婚率下降，但是同居父母分手率是结婚父母离婚率的4倍多。

Several judges are in favour of more legal rights for partners who live together, and Lib Dem peer Lord Marks has launched a Bill to bring in a law for cohabitees.

几名法官支持给予同居伴侣更多合法权利，自由民族党人马克斯法官已经颁布了一项针对同居者的法案。

But critics believe that giving legal status to cohabiting couples would encourage parents not to marry and lead to even more family breakdown.

但是批评者指出，给予同居伴侣更多法律地位会鼓励未婚父母不结婚，从而导致更多家庭破碎。

In 2013, the Office for National Statistics estimated there are 1.9million lone parent families in England and Wales whose children are school age or younger. It said around a quarter of all families with dependent children are led by solo parents.

2013年，英国国家统计局（the Office for National Statistics）估计，在英格兰和威尔士，有190万单亲家庭的孩子已到或快到上学年龄。据称，有孩子的家庭中，约有四分之一的家庭由单亲家长操持。

And one in three British couples raising children have a child from a previous relationship in their family unit, according to a report by Aviva last year.

据Aviva去年的数据显示，有三分之一的父母带着前夫（或前妻）的孩子。