Number of people living in extreme poverty: 2011 vs. 2017 prices in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Number of people living in extreme poverty: 2011 vs. 2017 prices was 164,282 people in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Number of people living in extreme poverty: 2011 vs. 2017 prices in United Kingdom, 1968–2021
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 164,282 people for number of people living in extreme poverty: 2011 vs. 2017 prices in 2021.
That represents a change of down 51.0% on the previous year and up 5.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in extreme poverty: 2011 vs. 2017 prices in United Kingdom peaked at 334,959 people in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 1970.
That places United Kingdom 58th out of 119 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in extreme poverty: 2011 vs. 2017 prices in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 123,012 people | — |
| 1969 | 135,144 people | +9.9% |
| 1970 | 0 people | -100.0% |
| 1971 | 0 people | — |
| 1972 | 129,036 people | — |
| 1973 | 0 people | -100.0% |
| 1974 | 134,035 people | — |
| 1975 | 133,169 people | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 0 people | -100.0% |
| 1977 | 137,495 people | — |
| 1978 | 0 people | -100.0% |
| 1979 | 0 people | — |
| 1980 | 0 people | — |
| 1981 | 0 people | — |
| 1982 | 0 people | — |
| 1983 | 0 people | — |
| 1984 | 0 people | — |
| 1985 | 123,248 people | — |
| 1986 | 139,821 people | +13.4% |
| 1987 | 0 people | -100.0% |
| 1988 | 0 people | — |
| 1989 | 132,317 people | — |
| 1990 | 0 people | -100.0% |
| 1991 | 0 people | — |
| 1992 | 138,242 people | — |
| 1993 | 139,200 people | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 142,713 people | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 143,389 people | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 143,304 people | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 144,189 people | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 143,620 people | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 145,845 people | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 146,575 people | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 146,576 people | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 148,073 people | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 149,043 people | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 149,830 people | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 148,979 people | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 140,033 people | -6.0% |
| 2007 | 149,489 people | +6.8% |
| 2008 | 152,586 people | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 155,023 people | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 154,626 people | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 156,443 people | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 155,860 people | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 156,767 people | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 159,116 people | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 162,300 people | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 163,486 people | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 164,682 people | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 331,293 people | +101.2% |
| 2019 | 332,871 people | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 334,959 people | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 164,282 people | -51.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 164,282 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 14,837 people, 11.1× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 164,282 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12,474 people, 13.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of people living in extreme poverty: 2011 vs. 2017 prices in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | -100.0% | 135,144 people | 0 people |
| 1973 | -100.0% | 129,036 people | 0 people |
| 1976 | -100.0% | 133,169 people | 0 people |
| 1978 | -100.0% | 137,495 people | 0 people |
| 1987 | -100.0% | 139,821 people | 0 people |
| 1990 | -100.0% | 132,317 people | 0 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 129,078 people | 123,012 people | 135,144 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 53,374 people | 0 people | 137,495 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 39,539 people | 0 people | 139,821 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 114,050 people | 0 people | 145,845 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 148,621 people | 140,033 people | 155,023 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 193,744 people | 154,626 people | 332,871 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 249,620 people | 164,282 people | 334,959 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 number of people living in extreme poverty: 2011 vs. 2017 prices in United Kingdom?
- Number of people living in extreme poverty: 2011 vs. 2017 prices in United Kingdom was 164,282 people in 2021, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in extreme poverty: 2011 vs. 2017 prices recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 334,959 people in 2020.
- What is the lowest number of people living in extreme poverty: 2011 vs. 2017 prices recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 1970.
- How does United Kingdom rank for number of people living in extreme poverty: 2011 vs. 2017 prices?
- United Kingdom ranks 58th out of 119 countries with data for 2021.
- Is number of people living in extreme poverty: 2011 vs. 2017 prices rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.0%. 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 (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in extreme poverty: 2011 vs. 2017 prices. 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 below $1.90 per day.