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Pulse Survey - Life at Home 2021: Couples

Same Sex Couples

A CSO Frontier Series Output

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Same Sex Couples

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Of respondents living with a spouse or partner, 96% said they are in an opposite sex relationship while 4% are in a same sex relationship.

In chapter 3 it was noted, ‘With equal perceptions we would expect the percentage of female respondents who said they are mostly responsible for household chores to be equal to the percentage of male respondents who said their partner is mostly responsible for household chores. The results show that women perceive themselves to have more responsibility than their male partner sees them having and vice versa’.

Analysis of responses for respondents in same sex couples shows that the difference in perception as to who in the relationship is mostly responsible for organising and taking care of household tasks and chores is also present. With equal perception the proportion that answered, Mostly me and Mostly my spouse/partner would be equal. This is not the case, for example 44% of female respondents in a same sex relationship said Mostly me, 46% said Balanced and 10% said Mostly my spouse/partner when asked who is mostly responsible for organising and taking care of household chores and tasks. See Tables 4.1 and 4.2.

Table 4.1 Division of household tasks in same sex couples by sex and demographic characteristics, May-June 2021

Table 4.2 Division of household tasks in same sex couples, by sex and demographic characteristics, May-June 2021

Respondents are classified into three groups; those who said responsibilities were balanced for less than three of the seven household tasks and chores (0-2 Balanced); those who said responsibilities were balanced for three or four of the seven tasks (3-4 Balanced); those who said responsibilities were balanced for five or more of the seven tasks (5-7 Balanced).

Of respondents living with a same sex partner, men were more likely to report 5-7 Balanced (30%) household tasks compared with 25% of women in a same sex relationship.

The younger age group (under 40) for both women and men living with a same sex partner were more likely to report 5-7 Balanced tasks with one in three (36%) men age 18 to 39 years reporting 5-7 Balanced household tasks, this reduced to 23% for men 40 years and over.

Of female respondents aged 18 to 39, 27% reported 5-7 Balanced household tasks, compared with 24% of those aged 40 years and over.

Respondents living with a same sex partner who lived in rented accommodation or had an honours degree or above were more likely to report 5-7 balanced household tasks. See Table 4.3 and Figure 4.1.

X-axis label	5 - 7 Balanced	3 - 4 Balanced	0 - 2 Balanced
Male 40 +	23	46	31
Male 18 to 39	36	32	32
Female 40 +	24	42	34
Female 18 to 39	27	30	43

Table 4.3 Balance, satisfaction and change in division of household tasks in same sex couples by sex and demographic characteristics, May-June 2021

Men living with a same sex partner were more likely than women to be satisfied with how household tasks and chores are divided, with 39% of respondent men reporting a High satisfaction level compared with 35% of women. Older men (aged 40 years or older) and younger women (18 to 39) were more likely to report High satisfaction.

Over half (51%) of women living with a same sex partner in rented accommodation report a High satisfaction level with how household tasks and chores are divided, compared with 30% of these women living in owner-occupied homes.

One in four (26%) men living with a same sex partner in rented accommodation report a High satisfaction level with how household tasks and chores are divided, compared with 48% of these men living in owner-occupied homes. See Table 4.3 and Figure 4.2.

X-axis label	High	Medium	Low
Male Rented	26	55	19
Male Owner-occupied	48	34	18
Female Rented	51	35	14
Female Owner-occupied	30	38	32

When there are disagreements, older respondents in same sex couples were more likely to report an equal outcome in terms of whose opinion prevails, with 70% of women and 63% of men aged 40 years and over compared with 46% of women and 58% of men aged 18 to 39 years. See Table 4.4 and Figure 4.3.

X-axis label	Mostly my partner	About equally	Mostly mine
Male 40+	28	63	9
Male 18 to 39	29	58	13
Female 40+	21	70	9
Female 18 to 39	27	46	27

Table 4.4 Frequency of disagreements about household tasks in same sex couples by sex and demographic characteristics, May-June 2021

Women living with a same sex partner are slightly more likely to report Balanced decision making when it come to the most important decisions, with 71% of female respondents reporting this compared with 67% of men in same sex relationships.

Both female and male respondents with an honours degree or above or living in rented accommodation were more likely to report Balanced decision making.

Three in four (75%) women living with a same sex partner in rented accommodation said they have Balanced decision making, compared with 69% of these women living in owner-occupied accommodation.

Of men living with a same sex partner in rented accommodation, 71% reported Balanced decision making compared with 63% of these men living in owner occupied accommodation.

Both men and women living with a same sex partner in rented accommodation were more likely to be more satisfied with how the most important decisions are made, with 65% of women reporting a High satisfaction level compared with 40% of women in owner occupied accommodation. See Table 4.5 and Figure 4.4.

X-axis label	Balanced Decisions	High Satisfaction with Decisions
Owner-occupied Female	69	40
Rented Female	75	65
Owner-occupied Male	63	49
Rented Male	71	50

Table 4.5 Balance, satisfaction and freedom in decision making in same sex couples by sex and demographic characteristics, May-June 2021

Men living with a same sex partner were less likely than women to report feeling free to spend money on themselves without asking permission from their partner, with 91% of these men reporting this compared with 97% of women in same sex relationships.

Men aged 40 years or over were less likely to report feeling free to spend on themselves (88% compared to 93% of younger men living with a same sex partner).

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Pulse Survey - Life at Home 2021: Couples

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Table 4.1 Division of household tasks in same sex couples by sex and demographic characteristics, May-June 2021
		Division of household tasks %
		Household chores			Financial decisions			Home and garden maintenance
		Mostly me	Balanced	Mostly partner	Mostly me	Balanced	Mostly partner	Mostly me	Balanced	Mostly partner
Sex
Female		44	46	10	37	55	8	28	42	30
Male		34	52	14	36	54	10	41	43	16

Sex	Age Group
Female	18 to 39	42	41	17	41	50	9	28	54	18
	40 and over	46	49	5	34	58	8	29	34	37
Male	18 to 39	33	52	15	38	53	9	28	50	22
	40 and over	35	52	13	32	57	11	57	34	9

Sex	Highest Level of Education
Female	Level 7 or below	65	32	3	37	55	8	24	34	42
	Honours degree or above	31	55	14	37	55	8	32	47	21
Male	Level 7 or below	29	58	13	38	49	13	51	41	8
	Honours degree or above	36	50	14	34	57	9	35	45	20

Sex	Tenure Status
Female	Owner-occupied	51	43	6	36	53	11	28	38	34
	Rented	26	54	20	38	62	0	29	55	16
Male	Owner-occupied	35	47	18	31	57	12	51	34	15
	Rented	32	59	9	41	51	8	26	56	18

Sex	Degree of Urbanisation
Female	City	36	54	10	30	58	12	30	38	32
	County	50	40	10	41	53	6	27	45	28
Male	City	30	56	14	42	51	7	39	45	16
	County	40	46	14	24	60	16	44	40	16

Table 4.2 Division of household tasks in same sex couples, by sex and demographic characteristics, May-June 2021
		Division of household tasks %
		Grocery shopping, meal planning and preparation			Household health related issues			Setting up/ renewing utilities			Organising and planning social activities
		Mostly me	Balanced	Mostly partner	Mostly me	Balanced	Mostly partner	Mostly me	Balanced	Mostly partner	Mostly me	Balanced	Mostly partner
Sex
Female		48	35	17	40	55	5	60	22	18	29	61	10
Male		41	43	16	23	70	7	54	21	25	17	69	14

Sex	Age Group
Female	18 to 39	55	25	22	39	55	6	55	28	17	28	58	14
	40 and over	45	41	14	40	55	5	63	18	19	30	62	8
Male	18 to 39	43	46	11	25	71	4	52	24	24	15	72	13
	40 and over	39	38	23	20	69	11	57	16	27	20	64	16

Sex	Highest Level of Education
Female	Level 7 or below	65	19	16	50	44	6	65	15	20	41	54	5
	Honours degree or above	37	44	19	33	63	4	57	26	17	21	65	14
Male	Level 7 or below	46	40	14	21	67	12	70	14	16	9	69	22
	Honours degree or above	39	44	17	24	72	4	47	24	29	21	69	10

Sex	Tenure Status
Female	Owner-occupied	49	34	17	41	57	2	63	18	19	31	62	7
	Rented	45	35	20	38	48	14	51	32	17	25	56	19
Male	Owner-occupied	42	38	20	21	71	8	58	17	25	10	71	19
	Rented	40	50	10	27	69	4	49	26	25	27	65	8

Sex	Degree of Urbanisation
Female	City	35	45	20	35	60	5	48	24	28	19	68	13
	County	57	27	16	43	52	5	67	21	12	36	56	8
Male	City	39	46	15	26	71	3	55	22	23	17	68	15
	County	46	36	18	18	69	13	54	18	28	17	71	12

Table 4.3 Balance, satisfaction and change in division of household tasks in same sex couples by sex and demographic characteristics, May-June 2021
		%
		Number of balanced tasks			Satisfaction with the division of household tasks and Chores			Change in the division of household tasks since the COVID-19 pandemic
		0 - 2 Balanced	3 - 4 Balanced	5 - 7 Balanced	Low	Medium	High	Less balanced	No change	More balanced
Sex
Female		38	37	25	27	38	35	17	57	26
Male		32	38	30	18	43	39	19	62	19

Sex	Age Group
Female	18 to 39	43	30	27	21	42	37	19	58	23
	40 and over	34	42	24	32	34	34	16	56	28
Male	18 to 39	32	32	36	15	49	36	20	62	18
	40 and over	31	46	23	23	35	42	18	61	21

Sex	Highest Level of Education
Female	Level 7 or below	50	38	12	39	30	31	23	56	21
	Honours degree or above	29	37	34	19	43	38	13	58	29
Male	Level 7 or below	33	40	27	22	40	38	16	68	16
	Honours degree or above	31	37	32	17	44	39	20	59	21

Sex	Tenure Status
Female	Owner-occupied	39	40	21	32	38	30	16	58	26
	Rented	35	28	37	14	35	51	19	55	26
Male	Owner-occupied	33	40	27	18	34	48	16	63	21
	Rented	30	35	35	19	55	26	23	59	18

Sex	Degree of Urbanisation
Female	City	21	51	28	22	34	44	18	52	30
	County	49	28	23	31	39	30	17	60	23
Male	City	29	42	29	18	46	36	23	55	22
	County	37	30	33	18	38	44	11	74	15

Table 4.4 Frequency of disagreements about household tasks in same sex couples by sex and demographic characteristics, May-June 2021
		%
		Frequency of disagreements about household chores				Frequency of disagreements about household finances				Whose opinion prevails when there is a disagreement
		Often	Sometimes	Hardly ever	Never	Often	Sometimes	Hardly ever	Never	Mostly mine	About equally	Mostly my partner
Sex
Female		5	33	47	15	1	17	45	37	16	60	24
Male		7	35	43	15	4	15	44	37	11	60	29

Sex	Age Group
Female	18 to 39	7	34	43	16	3	13	49	35	27	46	27
	40 and over	4	32	50	14	0	20	41	39	9	70	21
Male	18 to 39	8	34	45	13	3	12	45	40	13	58	29
	40 and over	5	36	40	19	5	19	42	34	9	63	28

Sex	Highest Level of Education
Female	Level 7 or below	4	39	46	11	0	22	45	33	8	61	31
	Honours degree or above	6	28	48	18	2	14	44	40	21	60	19
Male	Level 7 or below	8	40	42	10	7	19	38	36	10	55	35
	Honours degree or above	6	33	43	18	2	13	47	38	12	63	25

Sex	Tenure Status
Female	Owner-occupied	7	34	47	12	1	17	46	36	12	63	25
	Rented	2	28	48	22	2	17	39	42	28	51	21
Male	Owner-occupied	6	31	48	15	2	13	42	43	12	62	26
	Rented	8	41	36	15	7	17	47	29	9	58	33

Sex	Degree of Urbanisation
Female	City	9	24	46	21	3	12	43	42	11	62	27
	County	3	38	48	11	0	21	45	34	19	59	22
Male	City	9	37	37	17	5	13	47	35	11	64	25
	County	2	31	54	13	2	18	37	43	13	53	34

Table 4.5 Balance, satisfaction and freedom in decision making in same sex couples by sex and demographic characteristics, May-June 2021
		%
		Who makes the most important decisions			Satisfaction with how the most important decisions are made			Free to spend money on yourself
		Mostly me	Balanced	Mostly partner	Low	Medium	High	Yes	No
Sex
Female		23	71	6	7	46	47	97	3
Male		24	67	9	9	41	50	91	9

Sex	Age Group
Female	18 to 39	17	71	12	3	42	55	98	2
	40 and over	27	70	3	9	49	42	96	4
Male	18 to 39	26	67	7	6	37	57	93	7
	40 and over	22	66	12	13	47	40	88	12

Sex	Highest Level of Education
Female	Level 7 or below	30	59	11	9	54	37	99	1
	Honours degree or above	18	78	4	6	41	53	96	4
Male	Level 7 or below	26	58	16	12	43	45	87	13
	Honours degree or above	23	71	6	8	40	52	93	7

Sex	Tenure Status
Female	Owner-occupied	24	69	7	7	53	40	98	2
	Rented	19	75	6	6	29	65	92	8
Male	Owner-occupied	26	63	11	8	43	49	93	7
	Rented	22	71	7	11	39	50	87	13

Sex	Degree of Urbanisation
Female	City	22	72	6	11	33	56	98	2
	County	23	70	7	4	55	41	96	4
Male	City	28	65	7	8	37	55	91	9
	County	18	69	13	12	50	38	90	10