Visualisation made with flourish.studio
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 is 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.
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Disadvantage undermines people’s capabilities and opportunities
Disadvantage undermines people’s capabilities and opportunities
Income inequality is high by historical and European standards 
Income inequality is high by historical and European standards
Many high earners are paid unreasonably large amounts of money
Many high earners are paid unreasonably large amounts of money
People 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 school
People from poorer backgrounds do less well at school
Poorer 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 inequality
Socio-economic inequality leads to environmental inequality
Socio-economic inequality leads to health inequalities
Socio-economic inequality leads to health inequalities
Socio-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 inequality
Socio-economic inequality leads to political inequality
The 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 disadvantage
The education system can never totally compensate for disadvantage
The 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 inequalities
The structure of our economy leads to huge regional inequalities
Too 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 inequality
Wealth inequality is much larger than income inequality