Working Age Poverty
Key points
- London has the highest rate of working-age poverty in England. in Inner London it is higher still.
- However, the trends in the proportions of working-age adults living in low-income households in Inner and Outer London are heading in opposite directions - decreasing in Inner London, increasing in Outer London.
The proportion of working-age adults in low-income households, over time
What does this graph show?
About 25% of working-age adults in London live in low-income households, compared to a national average of 21%.
London has a high proportion of working-age adults compared to the rest of the country. Combined with the high risk of low income for working-age adults, this means that one in five of all working-age adults in poverty in England live in the capital.
The proportion of working-age adults in low-income households is higher in Inner London than anywhere else in the country. Outer London has the next highest proportion.
Inner London has seen a decrease of around 5% since the late 1990s in the proportion of working-age adults living in low-income households. Outer London has seen an increase of around 3% points over the same period.
The rise in the proportion of working-age adults in low-income households in Outer London is not unique. The West and East Midlands and the East and South East have all seen small increases as well. In fact, the overall proportion of working-age adults in low income has risen nationwide since the late 1990s.
Data used
Households Below Average Income series, Department for Work and Pensions
Indicator last updated: 21 April 2010
Related case studies
Case study: Laura
Laura, aged 45 has lived in London most of her life. She worked in low-skilled jobs until becoming a mother. With no support from the father, she found it difficult to cope. I know there's many people out in that... More...
Other indicators in Working-age adults
- Poverty in Inner and Outer London
- In-work poverty across England
- Working-age out-of-work benefits by region
- Working age out-of-work benefits by ward
- Working age out-of-work benefits within London
- Income inequality in London compared with other English regions
- Income inequalities within London boroughs
- Pay inequalities within London
- Working-age adults lacking work over time
- Working-age adults lacking work by borough
- Young Adult Unemployment
- Adult ill health
- Adult ill-health by borough
- Low-paid residents by borough
- Low-paid jobs by borough
- Low income and ethnicity in London
- Lacking work by ethnicity
- Not working by country of birth
- Not working by ethnicity and country of birth
- Low pay by ethnicity
- Premature death by borough
- Low-paid residents by region
- Low-paid jobs by sub-region
- Families receiving in-work benefits
- Working age out-of-work benefits by borough