Seven years in the lives of British families: evidence on the dynamics of social change from the British Household Panel Survey

'The family' is a subject of enormous academic, political and popular interest. It is a central feature of most people's lives, the framework within which other relationships, activities and events take place. This unique study provides important new insights into the dynamics of Britain's social and economic life - in family structures and relationships; in employment and household incomes; in housing, health and political affiliations. Most previous research has been limited to measuring an individual or family's position only at the time of the interview. This book presents a clearer picture by following the important events in people's lives, such as starting work, getting married, or falling into poverty. It reviews existing findings and presents new analyses of data from the British Household Panel Survey. The same 10,000 adults (in 5,000 households) have been interviewed every year between 1991 and 1997. Contents: Introduction: the dynamics of social change Richard Berthoud; Patterns of household and family formation John Ermisch and Marco Francesconi; Couples, work and money Heather Laurie and Jonathan Gershuny; Work, non-work, jobs and job mobility Mark Taylor; Dynamics of household incomes Stephen P Jenkins; Housing, location and residential mobility Nick Buck; A measure of changing health Richard Berthoud; Political values: a family matter? Malcolm Brynin; Seven years in the lives of British families Richard Berthoud and Jonathan Gershuny.