Poverty in the uk facts and figures
Poverty needs to be understood in relation to typical living standards.
Income poverty
A widely used measure of poverty is where household income is below 60 percent of the median uk income after housing costs have been paid. Every year the government publishes a survey of income poverty in the uk. HBAI is households below average income
The hbai survey shows that 13.4 million people in the uk are income poor. Of those 13.4 million people:
53 percent of these are in households which include at least one child
32 percent of these are in households of people of working age without children
15 percent are in pensioner households.
Poverty Line
| Household type | Household income £ per week |
| Single person | 119 |
| Couple | 206 |
| Lone parents with 2 children | 247 |
| Couple with 2 children above 5 | 333 |
Causes of poverty are inadequate income
Unemployment
Low wages
Inadequate benefits
Who Lives In Poverty
Some groups of people have a much greater than average risk of experiencing income poverty.
Unemployed adults
Bangledeshi people
Black people
The group least likely to be in poverty are couples both working full time!
The impact of poverty
Poverty makes people lives shorter and more brutal than they need to be. Poverty is not simply about being on a low income and going without. It is also being denied power, respect, good health, education and housing, basic self esteem, and the ability to participate in social activities.
The impact of social participation
Poverty isolates people, reducing there ability to engage in social and community life. In a study comparing the poorest 5th of household, poorer children had fewer opportunities for activities and entertaining friends.
How can we end child poverty
The government has pledged to half child poverty by 2010 and eradicate it by 2020, but it is unlikely they will manage it!
Ten steps for ending child poverty
Protect jobs, mend the safety net, move away from means tests, remove barriers to work, stop in poverty , put in place a child first strategy, end the classroom divide, provide fair public services, end poverty .
Thanks for reading! please sub!
