Third of UK people fell below poverty line
21/05/2015
Almost a third of people in the UK fell below the poverty line between 2010 and 2013, official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.
Almost 19.3 million people, or 33%, were in poverty at least once in the three years to 2013. This is compared to the average of 25% of people across the EU.
In regards to "persistent income poverty” the figure was 7.9% of people in the UK, which is less than half of the 15.9% EU average.
The ONS records someone as being in poverty if they live in a household with disposable income below 60% of the national average, before housing costs. Persistent poverty is when a person is in poverty the current year and has been for at least two of the preceding three years.
The UK ranked 13th out of 28 of the EU members for overall poverty, with Greece topping the ranking. The Czech Republic was the country with the lowest poverty levels.
The ONS said:
"Studies reveal that although some people are stuck in poverty, the majority of 'the poor' consist of a constantly changing group of different individuals.
"Although poverty persists only for a relatively small minority, evidence suggests that those who have already been in poverty are more likely to experience poverty again in the future than those who have never been in poverty".
Need financial advice?
If you have any personal finance questions related to this news article, then please contact our financial advisers. You can get in touch by asking a question online, calling us on 0800 092 1245, or by arranging a visit.
Share this..
Related stories
HSBC joins the party
Today's half-year results from HSBC have been well received by the markets despite a 50% fall in profits compared to this time last year. The £3 billion pre-tax profit compares to the £6 billion figure announced this time last year but was actually ahead of many analyst forecasts. While the company decided to issue a cautious and uncertain statement regarding the UK economy, and the worldwide ec...
Read MoreIMF suggests worldwide GDP to fall by between 0.5% and 1.5%
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is alleged to have collated data that shows that the worldwide economy would be shrink by between 0.5% and 1.5% as measured by GDP during 2009. The IMF then sees a gradual recovery in 2010 with the worldwide economy set to improve by between 1% and 2%. So what does this mean for the future?
While the worldwide fall of up to 1.5% in GDP is worryi...
Is the UK at risk of Japanese style deflation?
Adam Posen, a member of the Bank of England's MPC, has today warned UK investors of the potential risk of a Japanese style deflationary period in the UK. This warning is ever more important because this particular member of the MPC was brought on board because of his knowledge of the Japanese economy and the troubles which that area has encountered over the years. He cited a number of parallels...
Read MoreCadbury union leaders to meet Kraft Foods
In a sensible, but surprising development, the Unite union has revealed plans for talks with Kraft Foods next week. As we have covered on numerous occasions, Kraft Foods is currently in the process of attempting to take over Cadbury and has already tabled a £9.8 billion bid. Whether or not his bid is enough to gain control of Cadbury remains to be seen but the fact that unions are willing to talk...
Read MoreFSA chairman oversteps the mark
Lord Turner, the chairman of the FSA, has today angered the city with a suggestion that a new tax should be introduced on all financial transactions, aimed specifically at banks and financial institutions trading in the UK. While there has been some nervous backtracking since the comments were released to the press, the UK financial sector, UK government and the UK regulator are further apart than...
Read More