Part-Time, Full-Time, No-Time? Couples’ Employment, Education, and First Birth Transitions in the UK

Brian Buh
Demografie, 68(1): 5–24
https://doi.org/10.54694/dem.0374

Abstract
In low-fertility countries, couples’ employment patterns may influence the transition to parenthood, potentially moderated by educational attainment. Using data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (2009–2023), this study investigates how couples’ employment status and education relate to the likelihood of having a first child. Results show that among most dual-earner couples, the probability of first birth is similarly high whether both partners work full-time or women work part-time. Conversely, men’s part-time work and single-earner couples are associated with a lower likelihood of becoming parents. No strong evidence supports differences 7in parenthood transition based on couples’ educational attainment. While couples with secondary education exhibit a trend where women’s part-time work corresponds with higher first birth probabilities, wide confidence intervals indicate substantial variability, limiting firm conclusions about education’s moderating role.

Keywords
First Birth, Part-time work, Couples’ employment, Understanding Society, Labour force participation