THE CHANGING PICTURE OF

POVERTY IN THE UK

WHY WE NEED TO ACT NOW

Poverty levels in the UK are shameful

13.5 million7.9 million working-age adults 3.9 million children 1.6 million

pensioners

of people in poverty live in a family where at leastone person is disabled

39%of children in poverty live in a lone-parent family

35% 66%of working-age households in poverty have someone doing paid work

of all people in poverty live in rented properties67%

TO LET

Key Stats

Total number

Source: DWP HBAI statistics: data to 2014/15

PAYSLIPPAYSLIP

Many people are struggling to make ends meet

There are different levels of poverty in the UK

Destitute: Unable to afford essentials like food and clothing

In poverty but not destitute:Struggling to heat home, pay rent or buy essentials for children

Inadequate income but not in poverty: Under pressure. Unexpected costs and events can push people into poverty

Adequate income or better: Able to afford a decent standard of living

MIS (minimum income standard)

75% MIS

Destitution

10 of the UK’s top 12 struggling cities are based in the North of England

1. Rochdale 2. Burnley 3. Bolton 4. Blackburn 5. Hull 6. Grimsby 7. Dundee 8. Middlesbrough 9. Bradford10. Blackpool11. Stoke12. Wigan

8

7

956

10 4 2

12 3 1

11

Some areas are worse off than others

Source: JRF report: Uneven growth: tackling city decline

Family problems

High costs, including housing

Ineffective benefit system

Lack of skills

Low wages, insecure jobs and unemployment

Poverty is not caused by one thing

Poverty harms all of us

CONSEQUENCES of POVERTY

Health problems

Victim or pepetrator of crime

Homelessness or housing problems

Teenage pregnancy

Drug or alcohol problems

More poverty

Lower educational achievement

Relationship and family problems

Biological effects

JRF’s vision for a poverty free UK where by 2030

5 point plan to #solveukpoverty

Almost anyone can experience poverty in the UK. It doesn’t have to be like this.

JRF has launched the first ever comprehensive strategy to solve poverty in the UK.

Follow our progress atwww.jrf.org.uk/solve-uk-poverty

#solveukpoverty