The number of children living in households where no adults are working has reached its lowest level in a decade.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show more than 17.6m households in the UK now have at least one preson over 16 in work, meaning nine out of 10 children now live with a working adult.

The number of workless households – where no one aged over 16 is in employment – stands at 3.1m (14.8%), the lowest level since comparable records began in 2004 and a drop of 72,000 from last year.

Nearly 60% of children (7.2m) now live in households where all adults are employed.

Of the 20.7m households where at least one member is aged 16 to 64 in the UK, 11.9m (57.7%) were classed as working – up 107,000 or 0.6% over the past year.

Meanwhile the number with a mix of at least one working and one workless adult was down 55,000 to 5.7m (27.5%).

Work and Pensions Secretary, Damian Green said: 'More parents now have the opportunity to find work and enjoy the dignity and security of having a regular wage.

'We will continue to build on this success as we roll-out Universal Credit to all parts of the country.'