Distribution of population between different poverty lines in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Distribution of population between different poverty lines was 47.02 million people in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2021)
47.02 million people
Change on year
up 2.4%
World rank
6th
of 120 countries
All-time high
47.02 million people
in 2021
All-time low
5.13 million people
in 1968
Years of data
54
1968–2021
Distribution of population between different poverty lines in United Kingdom, 1968–2021
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for distribution of population between different poverty lines in United Kingdom is 47.02 million people, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.4% on the previous year and up 16.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, distribution of population between different poverty lines in United Kingdom peaked at 47.02 million people in 2021 and was at its lowest, 5.13 million people, in 1968.
United Kingdom ranks 6th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Distribution of population between different poverty lines in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 5.13 million people | — |
| 1969 | 5.43 million people | +5.8% |
| 1970 | 6.29 million people | +15.8% |
| 1971 | 6.48 million people | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 7.52 million people | +15.9% |
| 1973 | 9.44 million people | +25.6% |
| 1974 | 9.17 million people | -2.9% |
| 1975 | 8.21 million people | -10.4% |
| 1976 | 7.70 million people | -6.2% |
| 1977 | 7.08 million people | -8.1% |
| 1978 | 9.05 million people | +27.8% |
| 1979 | 9.90 million people | +9.4% |
| 1980 | 10.47 million people | +5.8% |
| 1981 | 10.31 million people | -1.6% |
| 1982 | 13.06 million people | +26.7% |
| 1983 | 11.89 million people | -9.0% |
| 1984 | 12.81 million people | +7.8% |
| 1985 | 14.42 million people | +12.6% |
| 1986 | 16.10 million people | +11.6% |
| 1987 | 17.84 million people | +10.8% |
| 1988 | 20.04 million people | +12.4% |
| 1989 | 21.57 million people | +7.7% |
| 1990 | 22.90 million people | +6.1% |
| 1991 | 23.49 million people | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 22.28 million people | -5.1% |
| 1993 | 22.28 million people | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 24.88 million people | +11.7% |
| 1995 | 25.12 million people | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 26.93 million people | +7.2% |
| 1997 | 28.11 million people | +4.4% |
| 1998 | 29.59 million people | +5.3% |
| 1999 | 30.51 million people | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 32.86 million people | +7.7% |
| 2001 | 34.53 million people | +5.1% |
| 2002 | 35.15 million people | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 36.03 million people | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 37.49 million people | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 38.35 million people | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 39.06 million people | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 40.04 million people | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 40.48 million people | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 40.73 million people | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 40.92 million people | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 40.49 million people | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 40.77 million people | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 41.18 million people | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 42.84 million people | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 43.48 million people | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 44.61 million people | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 44.99 million people | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 45.01 million people | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 46.51 million people | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 45.92 million people | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 47.02 million people | +2.4% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 47.02 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.96 million people, 9.5× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 47.02 million people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.67 million people, 28.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.28 million people | 5.13 million people | 5.43 million people | 2 |
| 1970s | 8.08 million people | 6.29 million people | 9.90 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.85 million people | 10.31 million people | 21.57 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.61 million people | 22.28 million people | 30.51 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.47 million people | 32.86 million people | 40.73 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.08 million people | 40.49 million people | 46.51 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.47 million people | 45.92 million people | 47.02 million people | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More poverty & inequality data for United Kingdom
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 6 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.56 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 7,138 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -7.54 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 34.91 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 34.9% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is distribution of population between different poverty lines in United Kingdom?
- Distribution of population between different poverty lines in United Kingdom was 47.02 million people in 2021, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest distribution of population between different poverty lines recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 47.02 million people in 2021.
- What is the lowest distribution of population between different poverty lines recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.13 million people in 1968.
- How does United Kingdom rank for distribution of population between different poverty lines?
- United Kingdom ranks 6th out of 120 countries with data for 2021.
- Is distribution of population between different poverty lines rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Distribution of population between different poverty lines. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people living in households with an income or consumption above $40 per day.