This is the 2019/20 edition of JRF’s annual report on the nature and scale of poverty across the UK and how it affects people who are caught in its grip. It highlights how poverty has changed in our society recently, as well as over the longer term. It examines overall changes to poverty, with chapters looking at the impact of work, the social security system and housing, and shows how carers and people with disabilities are affected by poverty. As concern about poverty in our society rises, there is an opportunity to right this wrong and take action to reduce our high poverty levels. At times during the last 20 years, the UK has dramatically reduced poverty among people who had traditionally been most at risk – pensioners and children – showing that real progress is possible. But this progress has begun to unravel. In particular, you are much more likely to be in poverty if you live in certain regions, live in a family where there’s a disabled person or a carer, if you work in certain sectors such as accommodation and catering or retail, or if you live in privately rented housing. As part of this project, we have spoken to lone parents on low incomes, whose experiences chime with our research findings. They spoke of insecurity across many aspects of their lives: ‘dehumanising’ work, feeling trapped ‘in a never-ending circle’ by the benefits system, and feeling ‘stuck’ in unaffordable or insecure housing with ‘no alternative’. The paper discusses policy solutions, which include: ensuring as many people as possible are in good jobs; improving earnings for low-income working families; strengthening the benefits system; and increasing the amount of low-cost housing.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This is the 2019/20 edition of JRF’s annual report on the nature and scale of poverty across the UK and how it affects people who are caught in its grip. It highlights how poverty has changed in our society recently, as well as over the longer term. It examines overall changes to poverty, with chapters looking at the impact of work, the social security system and housing, and shows how carers and people with disabilities are affected by poverty. As concern about poverty in our society rises, there is an opportunity to right this wrong and take action to reduce our high poverty levels. At times during the last 20 years, the UK has dramatically reduced poverty among people who had traditionally been most at risk – pensioners and children – showing that real progress is possible. But this progress has begun to unravel. In particular, you are much more likely to be in poverty if you live in certain regions, live in a family where there’s a disabled person or a carer, if you work in certain sectors such as accommodation and catering or retail, or if you live in privately rented housing. As part of this project, we have spoken to lone parents on low incomes, whose experiences chime with our research findings. They spoke of insecurity across many aspects of their lives: ‘dehumanising’ work, feeling trapped ‘in a never-ending circle’ by the benefits system, and feeling ‘stuck’ in unaffordable or insecure housing with ‘no alternative’. The paper discusses policy solutions, which include: ensuring as many people as possible are in good jobs; improving earnings for low-income working families; strengthening the benefits system; and increasing the amount of low-cost housing.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This report looks at what has happened to poverty in Scotland before and during the coronavirus outbreak. Even before coronavirus, around a million people in Scotland were in poverty, living precarious and insecure lives. Although the Scottish Government is committed to tackling poverty, poverty has been rising and we are not on course to meet interim child poverty targets within three years. The relative child poverty target requires a fall of a quarter in the proportion of children in poverty compared to the latest data, which has increased compared to five years previously. The picture for other groups over the last five years is similarly disappointing, with no change in poverty for working-age adults and an increase for pensioners. The paper argues that stronger support at the UK level is need to retain as many jobs as possible; both the UK and Scottish Governments need to strengthen training support quickly for those whose jobs disappear; the UK Government must retain the uplift to the standard allowances in Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit and extend this to key legacy benefits; the UK Government must keep the increase in the Local Housing Allowance and the Scottish Government must commit fully to an Affordable Housing Supply Programme; bold action by both the Scottish and UK governments across work, housing and social security will need to be matched by commitment from employers, housing providers, public services and the third sector. Scotland’s recovery, if it is to be successful, must be shaped directly by those with experience of living in poverty, at every stage, as equal partners.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This report looks at what has happened to poverty in Scotland before and during the coronavirus outbreak. Even before coronavirus, around a million people in Scotland were in poverty, living precarious and insecure lives. Although the Scottish Government is committed to tackling poverty, poverty has been rising and we are not on course to meet interim child poverty targets within three years. The relative child poverty target requires a fall of a quarter in the proportion of children in poverty compared to the latest data, which has increased compared to five years previously. The picture for other groups over the last five years is similarly disappointing, with no change in poverty for working-age adults and an increase for pensioners. The paper argues that stronger support at the UK level is need to retain as many jobs as possible; both the UK and Scottish Governments need to strengthen training support quickly for those whose jobs disappear; the UK Government must retain the uplift to the standard allowances in Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit and extend this to key legacy benefits; the UK Government must keep the increase in the Local Housing Allowance and the Scottish Government must commit fully to an Affordable Housing Supply Programme; bold action by both the Scottish and UK governments across work, housing and social security will need to be matched by commitment from employers, housing providers, public services and the third sector. Scotland’s recovery, if it is to be successful, must be shaped directly by those with experience of living in poverty, at every stage, as equal partners.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
social policy, poverty, low income, children, socioeconomic groups, benefits, unemployment;
Annual State of the Nation report, commissioned by the JosephRowntreeFoundation and carried out by the New Policy Institute, which brings together official data to present a comprehensive picture of poverty and social exclusion in the United Kingdom. The report focuses on five main themes: income, housing, life chances, which looks at the prospects of children and young people; social security
(Edited publisher abstract)
Annual State of the Nation report, commissioned by the JosephRowntreeFoundation and carried out by the New Policy Institute, which brings together official data to present a comprehensive picture of poverty and social exclusion in the United Kingdom. The report focuses on five main themes: income, housing, life chances, which looks at the prospects of children and young people; social security, work and worklessness. It finds that on many indicators, the UK economy has now recovered from the financial crisis and prolonged period of stagnation. However, it reports that in 2014/15, there were 13.5 million people living in low-income households, 21 per cent of the UK population. This proportion has barely changed since 2002/03. Areas of concern identified in the report include a close association between disability and poverty, with a high concentration of poverty among families with a disabled member; real risks of poverty for the increasing number of people housed in the private rented sector; and a continuing rise in poverty among those who are in employment
(Edited publisher abstract)
This paper focuses on the impact of high-quality early education and effective early intervention, which can act as protective factors for children against the negative effects of poverty. It also highlights how access to flexible, affordable childcare can reduce pressures on family income and help parents work, train or study. The report finds that the current UK childcare system falls short of fulfilling its potential to help reduce the effects of poverty on children: it does not allow children access to childcare of the standard required to improve developmental outcomes; families in areas of low parental employment are less likely to have access to flexible childcare; and support with childcare costs does not work well for parents with low incomes. The report calls for an anti-poverty childcare system which maximises on quality and removes the barriers of affordability and access to parents on low incomes and calls on the Government to set out clearly its aims for childcare and build a funding system to meet those aims.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This paper focuses on the impact of high-quality early education and effective early intervention, which can act as protective factors for children against the negative effects of poverty. It also highlights how access to flexible, affordable childcare can reduce pressures on family income and help parents work, train or study. The report finds that the current UK childcare system falls short of fulfilling its potential to help reduce the effects of poverty on children: it does not allow children access to childcare of the standard required to improve developmental outcomes; families in areas of low parental employment are less likely to have access to flexible childcare; and support with childcare costs does not work well for parents with low incomes. The report calls for an anti-poverty childcare system which maximises on quality and removes the barriers of affordability and access to parents on low incomes and calls on the Government to set out clearly its aims for childcare and build a funding system to meet those aims.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
child care, poverty, access to services, children, low income, unemployment, government policy;
An annual, independent assessment of poverty and disadvantage across the United Kingdom, which pulls together a range of official data and indicators of poverty and exclusion. The review was commissioned by the JosephRowntreeFoundation and carried out by the New Policy Institute. The figures cover the five years of the Coalition government from 2010 to 2015. The report focuses on five key
(Edited publisher abstract)
An annual, independent assessment of poverty and disadvantage across the United Kingdom, which pulls together a range of official data and indicators of poverty and exclusion. The review was commissioned by the JosephRowntreeFoundation and carried out by the New Policy Institute. The figures cover the five years of the Coalition government from 2010 to 2015. The report focuses on five key themes: money; work and worklessness; housing; and services, which includes education, health and social care. Each chapter ends with a map, showing the variation in poverty between local areas of a particular indicator. The report shows that unemployment has fallen over the last five years, but that there are more people on temporary contracts and in self-employment. The report also highlights an increase in poverty among working families, private renters and the under-25s.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
poverty, social exclusion, housing, employment, unemployment, income, personal finance, education, social care, health care;
This report examines the rise in households in which no adult has ever worked and the reasons for it. It investigates what drove the substantial increase in ‘never-worked’ households between 1996 and 2005, and the subsequent stabilisation, after 2007, of the reported numbers. The report shows that: never-worked households are a relatively small and distinct group – only a little more than 1 per cent of non-student households – and are unlikely to be a good indicator of the level of ‘welfare dependency’; most never-worked household are lone parent households and younger single people and there is little or no evidence of a problem of ‘intergenerational worklessness’; never-worked households are highly concentrated in London and are disproportionately likely to be of (non-EU) immigrant origin, non-white and/or Muslim. However, a substantial majority of never- worked households are white, UK-born, and Christian/no religion. Disabled people were substantially more likely to be in never-worked households. The proportion of such households with those who were both disabled as defined under the Equality Act (2010) and with a work-limiting disability has increased noticeably, but did not appear to account for a similar proportion of the overall increase. The report suggests that the recent fall in never-worked households may in part have been driven by a fall in the number of single person households that have never worked, possibly driven by slower household formation.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This report examines the rise in households in which no adult has ever worked and the reasons for it. It investigates what drove the substantial increase in ‘never-worked’ households between 1996 and 2005, and the subsequent stabilisation, after 2007, of the reported numbers. The report shows that: never-worked households are a relatively small and distinct group – only a little more than 1 per cent of non-student households – and are unlikely to be a good indicator of the level of ‘welfare dependency’; most never-worked household are lone parent households and younger single people and there is little or no evidence of a problem of ‘intergenerational worklessness’; never-worked households are highly concentrated in London and are disproportionately likely to be of (non-EU) immigrant origin, non-white and/or Muslim. However, a substantial majority of never- worked households are white, UK-born, and Christian/no religion. Disabled people were substantially more likely to be in never-worked households. The proportion of such households with those who were both disabled as defined under the Equality Act (2010) and with a work-limiting disability has increased noticeably, but did not appear to account for a similar proportion of the overall increase. The report suggests that the recent fall in never-worked households may in part have been driven by a fall in the number of single person households that have never worked, possibly driven by slower household formation.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
unemployment, poverty, disabilities, single parent families;
This findings analyses the latest data to show trends in work, poverty, housing and benefits sanctions in Wales. It looks at measures of low income, low pay and other types of disadvantage. It then considers what challenges these changes and the Summer Budget 2015 pose to policy-making in Wales. It finds that: an average of 700,000 people were in poverty in Wales in the three years to 2013–14, equivalent to 23 per cent of the population; compared with ten years earlier, there are more people of working age (particularly young adults) in poverty and fewer children and pensioners; there has been no reduction in the extent of low pay in Wales for a decade –270,000 jobs, mainly held by women, are paid below two-thirds of the UK median hourly wage; and in 2014 there were 30,000 Jobseeker’s Allowance sanctions, lower than in 2013, due mainly to fewer claimants.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This findings analyses the latest data to show trends in work, poverty, housing and benefits sanctions in Wales. It looks at measures of low income, low pay and other types of disadvantage. It then considers what challenges these changes and the Summer Budget 2015 pose to policy-making in Wales. It finds that: an average of 700,000 people were in poverty in Wales in the three years to 2013–14, equivalent to 23 per cent of the population; compared with ten years earlier, there are more people of working age (particularly young adults) in poverty and fewer children and pensioners; there has been no reduction in the extent of low pay in Wales for a decade –270,000 jobs, mainly held by women, are paid below two-thirds of the UK median hourly wage; and in 2014 there were 30,000 Jobseeker’s Allowance sanctions, lower than in 2013, due mainly to fewer claimants.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
poverty, social exclusion, socioeconomic groups, unemployment, housing, jobseekers allowance;
This paper looks at how self-employment compares, and has changed, across ethnic groups in the UK. It draws on the existing literature and extensive quantitative work commissioned and published by the JosephRowntreeFoundation as part of its research programme on poverty and ethnicity. Self-employment has often been seen as a route to social mobility for ethnic minority groups, which
(Edited publisher abstract)
This paper looks at how self-employment compares, and has changed, across ethnic groups in the UK. It draws on the existing literature and extensive quantitative work commissioned and published by the JosephRowntreeFoundation as part of its research programme on poverty and ethnicity. Self-employment has often been seen as a route to social mobility for ethnic minority groups, which are disproportionately more likely to be affected by poverty. However, this paper finds that although self-employment is increasing in the UK, this varies among ethnic groups. Self-employment rates have been falling amongst Indian and Chinese groups, whilst self-employment rates have risen among Pakistani men. The paper explores the motivation of different ethnic groups for going into self-employment: 'Pull factors’ which relate to the potential to get greater benefits from self-employment; and ‘push factors’ which relate to the difficulty of some groups from accessing well-paid jobs as employees. It is argued that high levels of self-employment among ethnic minority groups such as Indian and Chinese groups in the past, and in Pakistani groups today, are likely to be largely the result of ‘push factors’. Key implications for policy makers include: the need to tackle barriers to work to reduce poverty and increase employment; and to provide those in paid self-employment with advice and support with business growth, or for others, help in accessing alternative opportunities in employment.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
self-employment, ethnicity, black and minority ethnic people, poverty, South Asian people, unemployment, Chinese people, low income;
Reports on research which investigates the relationship between health status, the probability of being in employment, and the quality of that employment. It explores the associations between employment and mental and physical health, separately and together, and analyses the relationships between health status and formal skills. Using longitudinal survey data from the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS), the research follows individuals between 1991 and 2008 to investigate the impact of the following variables: general health status; physical health status; mental health status; combined physical and mental health status; and alcohol or drugs status. Key findings demonstrate that health status is strongly associated with employment propensity, employment status (full-/part-time; permanent/temporary), wage levels and skills. People reporting poor physical and/or mental health are less likely than those in good health to be in work, to transition from unemployment into employment, and are more likely to transition from employment into unemployment. Those reporting poor mental health or drug and alcohol problems face greater disadvantage in terms of entering and remaining in work compared to those reporting poor physical health. The research also found that qualifications can mitigate the negative impact of poor health on labour market transitions, but they cannot overcome them altogether. Recommendations include the provision of training for those with poor health to help them succeed in the labour market and supporting employers to make adjustments and implement flexible working to help people to remain in work while experiencing poor health.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Reports on research which investigates the relationship between health status, the probability of being in employment, and the quality of that employment. It explores the associations between employment and mental and physical health, separately and together, and analyses the relationships between health status and formal skills. Using longitudinal survey data from the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS), the research follows individuals between 1991 and 2008 to investigate the impact of the following variables: general health status; physical health status; mental health status; combined physical and mental health status; and alcohol or drugs status. Key findings demonstrate that health status is strongly associated with employment propensity, employment status (full-/part-time; permanent/temporary), wage levels and skills. People reporting poor physical and/or mental health are less likely than those in good health to be in work, to transition from unemployment into employment, and are more likely to transition from employment into unemployment. Those reporting poor mental health or drug and alcohol problems face greater disadvantage in terms of entering and remaining in work compared to those reporting poor physical health. The research also found that qualifications can mitigate the negative impact of poor health on labour market transitions, but they cannot overcome them altogether. Recommendations include the provision of training for those with poor health to help them succeed in the labour market and supporting employers to make adjustments and implement flexible working to help people to remain in work while experiencing poor health.
(Edited publisher abstract)
An annual, independent assessment of poverty and other forms of disadvantage across the United Kingdom, pulling together 50 indicators of poverty and exclusion, ranging across income, debt and unemployment. The report uses official data from a range of sources to look at trends and patterns across different indicators, providing an insight into the contemporary nature of poverty and exclusion. The report focuses on five key themes: money, housing, work, benefits, and services. It shows that household incomes fell in real terms for the third year in a row while unemployment fell by 300,000 in the last year and the number unemployed for over a year fell for the first time in a decade. Wages, however, have also fallen, for men and women, working full and part time, and for low and high earners and the report highlights the movement between worklessness and low pay - two thirds of those in work now but unemployed a year ago are in low paid work. The report shows that changes to the way the welfare system operates have worsened the experience of poverty for many of those affected – whether through rising sanctions, longer waits for assessment, or poor job outcomes through welfare to work programmes. Child poverty is shown to be still highest in cities, but urban areas now appear to be better at providing a decent level of education than rural areas.
(Edited publisher abstract)
An annual, independent assessment of poverty and other forms of disadvantage across the United Kingdom, pulling together 50 indicators of poverty and exclusion, ranging across income, debt and unemployment. The report uses official data from a range of sources to look at trends and patterns across different indicators, providing an insight into the contemporary nature of poverty and exclusion. The report focuses on five key themes: money, housing, work, benefits, and services. It shows that household incomes fell in real terms for the third year in a row while unemployment fell by 300,000 in the last year and the number unemployed for over a year fell for the first time in a decade. Wages, however, have also fallen, for men and women, working full and part time, and for low and high earners and the report highlights the movement between worklessness and low pay - two thirds of those in work now but unemployed a year ago are in low paid work. The report shows that changes to the way the welfare system operates have worsened the experience of poverty for many of those affected – whether through rising sanctions, longer waits for assessment, or poor job outcomes through welfare to work programmes. Child poverty is shown to be still highest in cities, but urban areas now appear to be better at providing a decent level of education than rural areas.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
poverty, social exclusion, unemployment, low income, children, housing, social services;