In 2023/24, 26.4 percent of children in the United Kingdom were defined as living in absolute poverty, compared with 16.9 percent of working-age adults, 13.2 percent of pensioners, and 20 percent of families where someone is disabled.

As of 2023/24 approximately 11.6 million people were living in relative poverty in the United Kingdom, with that number increasing to over 14.2 million when housing costs are considered.

Historical dataset showing U.K. poverty rate by year from 1968 to 2021.

Between 2019 and 2023, people living in households in the Asian and ‘Other’ ethnic groups were most likely to be in persistent low income before and after housing costs

United Kingdom UK: Poverty Gap at $3.20 a Day: 2011 PPP: % data was reported at 0.100 % in 2015. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.100 % for 2014. United Kingdom UK: Poverty Gap at $3.20 a Day: 2011 PPP: % data is updated yearly, averaging 0.200 % from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2015, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.500 % in 2005 and a record low of 0.100 % in 2015. United Kingdom UK: Poverty Gap at $3.20 a Day: 2011 PPP: % data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Poverty gap at $3.20 a day (2011 PPP) is the mean shortfall in income or consumption from the poverty line $3.20 a day (counting the nonpoor as having zero shortfall), expressed as a percentage of the poverty line. This measure reflects the depth of poverty as well as its incidence.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. The aggregated numbers for low- and middle-income countries correspond to the totals of 6 regions in PovcalNet, which include low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia). See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

Rates of poverty and persistent poverty in 2017 are included for the UK and EU, including characteristics, measures of material deprivation and well-being.

Out of all OECD countries, Cost Rica had the highest poverty rate as of 2022, at over 20 percent. The country with the second highest poverty rate was the United States, with 18 percent. On the other end of the scale, Czechia had the lowest poverty rate at 6.4 percent, followed by Denmark.

The significance of the OECD

The OECD, or the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, was founded in 1948 and is made up of 38 member countries. It seeks to improve the economic and social well-being of countries and their populations. The OECD looks at issues that impact people’s everyday lives and proposes policies that can help to improve the quality of life.

Poverty in the United States

In 2022, there were nearly 38 million people living below the poverty line in the U.S.. About one fourth of the Native American population lived in poverty in 2022, the most out of any ethnicity. In addition, the rate was higher among young women than young men. It is clear that poverty in the United States is a complex, multi-faceted issue that affects millions of people and is even more complex to solve.

18.6 (%) in 2017. National poverty rate is the percentage of the population living below the national poverty line. National estimates are based on population-weighted subgroup estimates from household surveys.

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United Kingdom UK: Increase in Poverty Gap at $3.10: Poverty Line Due To Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % of Poverty Line data was reported at 0.000 % in 2013. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.000 % for 2010. United Kingdom UK: Increase in Poverty Gap at $3.10: Poverty Line Due To Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % of Poverty Line data is updated yearly, averaging 0.000 % from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2013, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.000 % in 2013 and a record low of 0.000 % in 2013. United Kingdom UK: Increase in Poverty Gap at $3.10: Poverty Line Due To Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % of Poverty Line data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Increase in poverty gap at $3.10 ($ 2011 PPP) poverty line due to out-of-pocket health care expenditure, as a percentage of the $1.90 poverty line; ; Wagstaff et al. Progress on Impoverishing Health Spending: Results for 122 Countries. A Retrospective Observational Study, Lancet Global Health 2017.; Weighted average;

Historical dataset showing British Virgin Islands poverty rate by year from N/A to N/A.

Compares the at-risk-of-poverty rates for the UK and EU between 2005 and 2010.

Source agency: Office for National Statistics

Designation: National Statistics

Language: English

Alternative title: Comparison of UK and EU at-risk-of-poverty rates

United Kingdom UK: Poverty Gap at $5.50 a Day: 2011 PPP: % data was reported at 0.300 % in 2015. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.300 % for 2014. United Kingdom UK: Poverty Gap at $5.50 a Day: 2011 PPP: % data is updated yearly, averaging 0.300 % from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2015, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.600 % in 2005 and a record low of 0.200 % in 2013. United Kingdom UK: Poverty Gap at $5.50 a Day: 2011 PPP: % data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Poverty gap at $5.50 a day (2011 PPP) is the mean shortfall in income or consumption from the poverty line $5.50 a day (counting the nonpoor as having zero shortfall), expressed as a percentage of the poverty line. This measure reflects the depth of poverty as well as its incidence.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. The aggregated numbers for low- and middle-income countries correspond to the totals of 6 regions in PovcalNet, which include low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia). See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

Part 4 out of 4 For more information, see: http://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk/poverty-in-your-area-2016/ Estimated rates of child poverty from 2016 and 2018 on the level of child poverty in each constituency, local authority and ward in the UK before and after housing costs. Data is split across 26 xlsx files. For more information, visit http://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk/poverty-in-your-area-2016/ and https://mss.carto.com/viz/064da52a-2edc-4b7b-a709-f3697a5928b0/public_map Visualisations on % children living in poverty can be found here: https://mss.carto.com/viz/064da52a-2edc-4b7b-a709-f3697a5928b0/public_map Estimated rates of child poverty from 2016 and 2018 on the level of child poverty in each constituency, local authority and ward in the UK before and after housing costs. Data is split across 26 xlsx files. For more information, visit http://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk/poverty-in-your-area-2016/ and https://mss.carto.com/viz/064da52a-2edc-4b7b-a709-f3697a5928b0/public_map

3 year based data, 2007-10 refers to 2007-2010. In 2020-21, there was a reduced sample size due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The data used for both the 2018-22 and 2019-23 figures actually covers 4 years, but the 2020-21 data is omitted.

United Kingdom UK: Proportion of Population Pushed Below the $3.10: Poverty Line by Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % data was reported at 0.000 USD in 2013. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.000 USD for 2010. United Kingdom UK: Proportion of Population Pushed Below the $3.10: Poverty Line by Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % data is updated yearly, averaging 0.000 USD from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2013, with 6 observations. United Kingdom UK: Proportion of Population Pushed Below the $3.10: Poverty Line by Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.World Bank: Poverty. Proportion of population pushed below the $3.10 ($ 2011 PPP) poverty line by out-of-pocket health care expenditure, expressed as a percentage of a total population of a country; ; Wagstaff et al. Progress on Impoverishing Health Spending: Results for 122 Countries. A Retrospective Observational Study, Lancet Global Health 2017.; Weighted Average;

United Kingdom UK: Proportion of Population Pushed Below the $1.90: Poverty Line by Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % data was reported at 0.000 % in 2013. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.000 % for 2010. United Kingdom UK: Proportion of Population Pushed Below the $1.90: Poverty Line by Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % data is updated yearly, averaging 0.000 % from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2013, with 6 observations. United Kingdom UK: Proportion of Population Pushed Below the $1.90: Poverty Line by Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenditure: 2011 PPP: % data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.World Bank: Poverty. Proportion of population pushed below the $1.90 ($ 2011 PPP) poverty line by out-of-pocket health care expenditure, expressed as a percentage of a total population of a country; ; Wagstaff et al. Progress on Impoverishing Health Spending: Results for 122 Countries. A Retrospective Observational Study, Lancet Global Health 2017.; Weighted Average;

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The global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) statistics by sub-national region in Colombia.

For more information on the measures, visit https://ophi.org.uk/multidimensional-poverty-index/databank/country-level/.