Britain is one of the top countries in Europe for single-parent families, with 20.8 percent of children living with only one parent, according to an article published in the Daily Mail citing Eurostat figures. The only nations with a higher proportion were Estonia, Latvia and Ireland.

In Spain, the proportion was 7.1 percent, France 13.5 percent and Germany 15.1 percent. In Ireland it is 23.2 percent.

Patricia Morgan, a researcher who has long campaigned for fairer treatment of families in the tax system, pointed out: “You can look at these figures and see immediately which countries help couples through tax and benefits. In France, people get help if they draw up legal family contracts. In Germany, Holland and Italy, married people get tax relief and tax relief for children. Even in Sweden, where they do nothing for married couples, they do not help single parents, and they expect them to work. By contrast, our system encourages transient shack-ups. Even cohabiting couples get no help at all.”

Jill Kirby, former director of the Center for Policy Studies, warned: “Unless our government acts to implement pro-marriage policies, the gap with the rest of Europe will continue to widen.”

Today, traditional families are penalized more by the tax system in Britain than in almost all other developed nations, according to a report published earlier this year by care—a UK-based Christian charity. The government’s enthusiasm for supporting single parents means that a single parent can lose money if he or she marries. The tax system penalizes marriage. Single parenthood is encouraged. With these perverse incentives, no wonder Britain is one of Europe’s leaders in single parenthood.