Since 1971, the proportion of lone-parent families in Britain has

• A. It has remained stable
• B. It has decreased
• C. It has doubled
• D. It has tripled

Answer: (D)

The question is about long-term changes in family structure in Britain, specifically how common lone-parent families have become. The trend shows a substantial rise rather than staying the same or falling. This growth reflects several social changes: more divorces and separations, more births outside marriage, and greater acceptance of diverse family forms. As a result, the share of families headed by a lone parent increased a lot, roughly tripling from the early period to later decades. This shift helps explain wider discussions in sociology about gender roles, work and family life, and how economic and policy contexts shape family life.