The 2001 Census revealed a 3.7% growth in single-person households over the past 10 years, and the trend is likely to continue.
The census showed 34% of households in London were single occupancy.

The total now stands at 7 million and confirms deputy prime minister John Prescott's assertion in the Communities Plan that single-person households will increase by 155,000 each year.

Reacting to the finding, the Chartered Institute of Housing warned against a rush to build too many small, inappropriate dwellings, especially in London.

"There is evidence that single people don't want to live in one-bedroom flats forever. What is required are higher levels of two- and three-bedroom houses," said CIH head of policy Merron Simpson.

Source

Housing Today