Logo
  • ABOUT FAIRNESS
  • OUR WORK
  • ABOUT US
GET INVOLVED
Fairness Foundation
Fairness Foundation
Poverty
Poverty

Poverty

image
icon
Visualisation made with flourish.studio
image

The profile and depth of poverty in the UK has changed considerably over recent years. Household incomes have grown slowly and unequally, and income inequality in the UK is rising and is now higher than other European countries. The benefit cap and two-child limit are pushing more families into poverty; cuts to social security are leading to real hardship for millions. Poverty undermines opportunity by holding back cognitive development and educational attainment, damaging people’s health and reducing their life expectancy. Poverty constricts people’s choices and their thinking, making it harder to identify opportunities and to work towards realising them.

Explore the context

StatisticsStatistics
Statistics
SubstanceSubstance
Substance
StoriesStories
Stories
SurveysSurveys
Surveys
SolutionsSolutions
Solutions

Explore the arguments

Substance

Benefits are falling in real termsBenefits are falling in real terms
Benefits are falling in real terms
Disadvantage undermines people’s capabilities and opportunitiesDisadvantage undermines people’s capabilities and opportunities
Disadvantage undermines people’s capabilities and opportunities
High levels of inequality lead to low levels of social mobilityHigh levels of inequality lead to low levels of social mobility
High levels of inequality lead to low levels of social mobility
Higher levels of inequality make a wide range of social problems worse for everyoneHigher levels of inequality make a wide range of social problems worse for everyone
Higher levels of inequality make a wide range of social problems worse for everyone
Income inequality is high by historical and European standards Income inequality is high by historical and European standards
Income inequality is high by historical and European standards
Levels of trust and social cohesion are lowLevels of trust and social cohesion are low
Levels of trust and social cohesion are low
Levels of wellbeing are decliningLevels of wellbeing are declining
Levels of wellbeing are declining
Many high earners are paid unreasonably large amounts of moneyMany high earners are paid unreasonably large amounts of money
Many high earners are paid unreasonably large amounts of money
Millions are unable to afford decent housing Millions are unable to afford decent housing
Millions are unable to afford decent housing
People from poorer backgrounds are less likely to get to and do well at universityPeople from poorer backgrounds are less likely to get to and do well at university
People from poorer backgrounds are less likely to get to and do well at university
People from poorer backgrounds do less well at schoolPeople from poorer backgrounds do less well at school
People from poorer backgrounds do less well at school
People from poorer backgrounds earn less moneyPeople from poorer backgrounds earn less money
People from poorer backgrounds earn less money
Poorer people don’t have a buffer against economic shocksPoorer people don’t have a buffer against economic shocks
Poorer people don’t have a buffer against economic shocks
Socio-economic inequality leads to environmental inequalitySocio-economic inequality leads to environmental inequality
Socio-economic inequality leads to environmental inequality
Socio-economic inequality leads to health inequalitiesSocio-economic inequality leads to health inequalities
Socio-economic inequality leads to health inequalities
Socio-economic inequality leads to more crime and less effective criminal justiceSocio-economic inequality leads to more crime and less effective criminal justice
Socio-economic inequality leads to more crime and less effective criminal justice
Socio-economic inequality leads to political inequalitySocio-economic inequality leads to political inequality
Socio-economic inequality leads to political inequality
The best way to become wealthy is to be wealthy alreadyThe best way to become wealthy is to be wealthy already
The best way to become wealthy is to be wealthy already
The education system can never totally compensate for disadvantageThe education system can never totally compensate for disadvantage
The education system can never totally compensate for disadvantage
The nature of poverty is changingThe nature of poverty is changing
The nature of poverty is changing
The rising costs of living hit poorer households harderThe rising costs of living hit poorer households harder
The rising costs of living hit poorer households harder
The structure of our economy leads to huge regional inequalitiesThe structure of our economy leads to huge regional inequalities
The structure of our economy leads to huge regional inequalities
Too many people are on low incomes and in insecure workToo many people are on low incomes and in insecure work
Too many people are on low incomes and in insecure work
Wealth inequality is much larger than income inequalityWealth inequality is much larger than income inequality
Wealth inequality is much larger than income inequality
Wealth is taxed at much lower rates than incomeWealth is taxed at much lower rates than income
Wealth is taxed at much lower rates than income

Explore the other indicators

WealthWealth
Wealth
PovertyPoverty
Poverty
Living standardsLiving standards
Living standards
Secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary school
Higher educationHigher education
Higher education
Graduate outcomesGraduate outcomes
Graduate outcomes
Executive payExecutive pay
Executive pay
Equal payEqual pay
Equal pay
Low payLow pay
Low pay
Income taxIncome tax
Income tax
Housing qualityHousing quality
Housing quality
Health outcomesHealth outcomes
Health outcomes
Carbon emissionsCarbon emissions
Carbon emissions
VoiceVoice
Voice
Fair treatmentFair treatment
Fair treatment
icon
Fairness Index home
icon
Subscribe
icon
Download PDF
icon
Contact us
Logo

DONATE

CONTACT

PRIVACY

Charity #1044174 | Company #02912767 | All content published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

SubstackLinkedInBlueskyXInstagramFacebookSpotify