How many people live on a low income?
19.6% of people in the UK lived in a low-income household in 2024-25, after paying housing costs. That includes 27.4% of children, 18.6% of working-age adults and 13.9% of pensioners.
In relative low income after housing costs, 2024-25. down 1.5 points on 2014-15.
2024-25. down 1.1 points on 2014-15.
2024-25. up 0.1 points on 2014-15.
Low income over time
What’s this?
The share of everyone in the UK living in a household with income below 60% of the typical (median) household's, after paying housing costs.
What it cannot tell you: It measures income against the typical household's, so it can fall when typical incomes fall without anyone being better off. A break in the series in 2021-22 (new survey and benefit data) and the Covid years make some comparisons rough.
What’s this?
The share of children living in a household with income below 60% of the typical household's, after housing costs.
What it cannot tell you: It measures income against the typical household's, so it can fall when typical incomes fall without anyone being better off. A break in the series in 2021-22 (new survey and benefit data) and the Covid years make some comparisons rough.
What’s this?
The share of working-age adults living in a household with income below 60% of the typical household's, after housing costs.
What it cannot tell you: It measures income against the typical household's, so it can fall when typical incomes fall without anyone being better off. A break in the series in 2021-22 (new survey and benefit data) and the Covid years make some comparisons rough.
What’s this?
The share of pensioners living in a household with income below 60% of the typical household's, after housing costs.
What it cannot tell you: It measures income against the typical household's, so it can fall when typical incomes fall without anyone being better off. A break in the series in 2021-22 (new survey and benefit data) and the Covid years make some comparisons rough.
Year by year
Percentage in relative low income after housing costs.
| Period | People in low income | Children in low income | Working-age adults in low income | Pensioners in low income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 19.6% | 27.4% | 18.6% | 13.9% |
| 2023-24 | 19.1% | 27.7% | 18.1% | 12.3% |
| 2022-23 | 20.4% | 28.8% | 19.6% | 12.7% |
| 2021-22 | 20.2% | 27.3% | 19.1% | 15.0% |
| 2020-21 | 20.3% | 27.1% | 19.6% | 14.7% |
| 2019-20 | 22.0% | 30.7% | 20.1% | 18.1% |
| 2018-19 | 21.9% | 29.4% | 21.1% | 15.9% |
| 2017-18 | 21.6% | 29.3% | 20.4% | 16.5% |
| 2016-17 | 22.1% | 30.0% | 21.1% | 15.9% |
| 2015-16 | 21.8% | 29.4% | 21.0% | 15.7% |
| 2014-15 | 21.1% | 28.5% | 20.8% | 13.8% |
| 2013-14 | 21.0% | 27.5% | 20.9% | 13.7% |
Questions people ask
How is low income measured?
A person is in relative low income if their household's income, adjusted for its size and after paying housing costs, is below 60% of the typical (median) household's income that year.
Does 'low income' mean the same as poverty?
It is the official measure of relative poverty. It says how many people are far below the typical income, not what they can or cannot afford. The same statistics also report material deprivation, which asks about things households cannot afford.
Why do the numbers jump around the early 2020s?
The Covid-19 years disrupted the survey, and from 2021-22 the statistics were rebuilt using benefit records as well as the survey, which breaks the series.
What does “people in low income” measure?
The share of everyone in the UK living in a household with income below 60% of the typical (median) household's, after paying housing costs. It was 19.6% (% of all people (after housing costs)) in 2024-25, down 2.4 points on 2019-20. The highest we have is 25.1% (1996-97) and the lowest 19.1% (2023-24).
What does “children in low income” measure?
The share of children living in a household with income below 60% of the typical household's, after housing costs. It was 27.4% (% of children (after housing costs)) in 2024-25, down 3.3 points on 2019-20. The highest we have is 33.8% (1996-97) and the lowest 27.0% (2011-12).
What does “working-age adults in low income” measure?
The share of working-age adults living in a household with income below 60% of the typical household's, after housing costs. It was 18.6% (% of working-age adults (after housing costs)) in 2024-25, down 1.5 points on 2019-20. The highest we have is 21.7% (2009-10) and the lowest 18.1% (2023-24).
What does “pensioners in low income” measure?
The share of pensioners living in a household with income below 60% of the typical household's, after housing costs. It was 13.9% (% of pensioners (after housing costs)) in 2024-25, down 4.2 points on 2019-20. The highest we have is 29.2% (1997-98) and the lowest 12.3% (2023-24).
Sources: DWP, Households Below Average Income (Family Resources Survey). Updated every night. Each chart has a CSV and a Share button.
See also: Income inequality · Benefit spending