Poverty Mr. Laws To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of people were living in relative poverty, below 40 per cent. of median income, in the UK in each year between 1979 and 2007; and if he will make a statement. Caroline Flint The most common and internationally recognised threshold to measure poverty is income below 60 per cent. of median. We do not present information covering 40 per cent. of median income in our Households Below Average Income series as it is not a good measure of poverty. This is because households stating the lowest incomes to the family resources survey (FRS) may not actually have the lowest living standards. Many people who report very low incomes appear to have high spending. Hence any statistics on numbers in this group may be misleading. Specific information regarding low income for the United Kingdom is available in "Households Below Average Income 1994-95 to 2005-06". This annual report, which is a National Statistics publication, includes the numbers and proportions of individuals, children, working age adults and pensioners with incomes below 50 per cent., 60 per cent. and 70 per cent. of median income, and the proportions in persistent poverty. Available information is shown in the following table. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Before Housing Costs|After Housing Costs| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Number (million) |Percentage |Number (million)|Per cent| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1979 |1.0 |2 |1.3|2| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1981 |1.1 |2 |1.5|3| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1987 |1.5 |3 |2.8|5| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1988-89 |2.4 |4 |3.9|7| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1990-91 |3.1 |5 |4.7|8| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1991-92 |2.9 |5 |4.8|9| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1992-93 |2.9 |5 |5.0|9| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1993-95 |2.6 |5 |5.0|9| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1994-96 |2.4 |4 |5.0|9| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1995-97 |2.4 |4 |5.2|9| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | ||| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1994-95 |2.3 |4 |4.6|8| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1995-96 |2.3 |4 |4.2|8| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1996-97 |2.4 |4 |4.9|9| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1997-98 |2.7 |5 |4.8|9| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | ||| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1998-99 |2.7 |5 |4.8|8| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1999-00 |2.9 |5 |4.9|9| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2000-01 |3.0 |5 |4.9|8| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2001-02 |2.8 |5 |4.6|8| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2002-03 |3.0 |5 |4.9|8| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2003-04 |3.0 |5 |5.0|9| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2004-05 |2.9 |5 |4.9|8| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2005-06 |3.2 |5 |5.2|9| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Sources: 1. 1979 to 1997: Family Expenditure Survey (UK) 2. 1994 to 1998: Family Resources Survey (GB) 3. 1998 to 2006: Family Resources Survey (UK)| | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. Laws To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of those aged 16 to 24 years were classed as living in poverty in each financial year since 1989-90. Caroline Flint Available information is shown in the following table. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Million | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Before housing costs|After housing costs| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1994-95 |1.2|1.8| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1995-96 |1.0|1.6| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1996-97 |1.2|1.8| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1997-98 |1.1|1.6| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1998-99 |1.0|1.6| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1999-2000 |1.1|1.6| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2000-01 |1.1|1.5| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2001-02 |1.1|1.5| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2002-03 |1.2|1.7| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2003-04 |1.1|1.7| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2004-05 |1.2|1.7| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2005-06 |1.4|2.0| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Notes:1. Data are not available from this source for 1989-90 to1993-94.2. The information shown is for the United Kingdom from 2002-03 onwards. Earlier years are Great Britain only.3. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication ‘Households Below Average Income’ series, which uses disposable household income, equivalised for household size and composition, as a proxy for standard of living using the OECD equivalence scale.4. This response uses the Government's preferred measure of relative low income poverty, defined as being in a household with a household income of less than 60 per cent. of the contemporary median income. This is an internationally recognised measure.5. Figures have been presented on both a before housing cost and after housing cost basis. For before housing cost, housing costs (such as rent, water rates, mortgage interest payments, structural insurance payments and ground rent and service charges) are not deducted from income, while for after housing cost they are. This means that after housing cost incomes will generally be lower than before housing cost.6. Amounts in the tables have been presented in millions, rounded to the nearest 100,000 people.Source:Family Resources Survey, 1994-95 to 2005-06.| -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------