Single households: facts and figures

Prof. dr. Liesbeth De Donder

1. Some numbers

Living solo (%)

3431

35

46

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Belgium Flanders Walloon Region Brussels CapitalRegion

2. Motives

90% 40%

3. Reasons: societal transitions

Crude marriage and divorce rates, EU-28, (per 1 000 inhabitants)

4. SingleOlder Adults

Divorced Widowed

26,3% 42,2%

18,8% 22,3%

12,8% 20,9%

17,8% 19,8%

16,9% 12,8%

7,1% 8,1%

Almost daily social contacts

Total

Children 39,8%

Grandchildren 27,7%

Children-in-law 23,4%

Neighbours 17,5%

Friends 9,9%

Brothers and sisters 7,3%

Divorced Widowed

40,5% 57,5%

38,2% 49,4%

18% 37,7%

39,2% 42,6%

48,7% 38,4%

29,6% 25,0%

Potential help and support?

Total

Daughter 52,1%

Son 46,1%

Grandchildren 29,6%

Neighbours 41,3%

Friends 40,5%

Brothers and sisters 30,5%

Loneliness

Social loneliness

= Missing a broader circle of social contacts

Emotional loneliness

= Missing an intimate connection

Social loneliness

Emotional loneliness

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