Persistent Poverty

Some groups are far more likely to be living in long-term low income than others

MORE than one in every eight people in the UK were already living in persistent poverty before the pandemic - now charities are warning the number could soar. New government figures have revealed that in 2018/19, 13% of the population was classed as living in a home with a “persistent” low income, after the cost of housing.

This applies to anyone who had lived in a household with an income of less than 60% of the national average for at least three out of four consecutive years.

The proportion of people living in this type of ongoing poverty has remained stable since at least 2013/14, when these figures begin.

However, charities have warned that figure will likely rise as the full economic impact of Covid-19 is felt.

Sara Willcocks, head of external affairs at national poverty charity Turn2us, said: “Poverty levels were unacceptably high before our lives were affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

“They will be even higher now. Without meaningful intervention, this situation and the impact it has on people’s lives is only going to get worse in the future.

“There needs to be a radical rethink of our social security system that enables people to thrive; not just survive.

“People deserve more than the bare minimum. But, change must be holistic.

“Improving our benefit safety net needs to go hand-in-hand with building affordable housing, creating well paid jobs, investing in communities, and more.”

The 13% of people living in persistent poverty includes those of all ages, but the figure is much higher for children.

While only 11% of adults were living in a home with a persistent low income after housing costs, the figure rose to 19% of children.

Meanwhile, London had the highest rate of this type of longerterm poverty, due to the high cost of housing in the city.

Before housing costs were taken into account, persistent low income was highest in the North

East and Yorkshire and the Humber.

The figures also vary by several other characteristics.

For example, households with all adults in work were far less likely to be in persistent low poverty than those with some or all adults not working.

Private and social renters were both much more likely to live in persistent low income than those who owned their own homes.

Rates of persistent low income also increased as the level of education decreased, with adults with a degree seeing the lowest rates, and those with no qualifications the highest.

White people were also nearly half as likely to be in ongoing poverty than any other ethnic group.

Meanwhile, working-age adults with a limiting, longstanding illness or disability were more affected than those without one.

And when it came to family types, single parents overwhelmingly women - were far more likely to live in persistent low income than anyone else.