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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.
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Statistics
Statistics
Substance
Substance
Stories
Stories
Surveys
Surveys
Solutions
Solutions
Explore the arguments
Benefits are falling in real terms
Benefits are falling in real terms
Disadvantage undermines people’s capabilities and opportunities
Disadvantage undermines people’s capabilities and opportunities
High 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 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
Levels of trust and social cohesion are low
Levels of trust and social cohesion are low
Levels of wellbeing are declining
Levels of wellbeing are declining
Many 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
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
People from poorer backgrounds earn less money
People from poorer backgrounds earn less money
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 nature of poverty is changing
The nature of poverty is changing
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
Wealth is taxed at much lower rates than income
Wealth is taxed at much lower rates than income
Explore the other indicators
Wealth
Wealth
Poverty
Poverty
Living standards
Living standards
Secondary school
Secondary school
Higher education
Higher education
Graduate outcomes
Graduate outcomes
Executive pay
Executive pay
Equal pay
Equal pay
Low pay
Low pay
Income tax
Income tax
Housing quality
Housing quality
Health outcomes
Health outcomes
Carbon emissions
Carbon emissions
Voice
Voice
Fair treatment
Fair treatment
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