Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) (% of population) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) (% of population) was 0.5% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) in United Kingdom, 1968–2021
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 ppp) in United Kingdom is 0.5%, measured in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 16.7% on the previous year and unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 ppp) in United Kingdom peaked at 0.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1971.
United Kingdom ranks 96th of 123 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) (% of population) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 0.2% | — |
| 1969 | 0.3% | +50.0% |
| 1970 | 0.2% | -33.3% |
| 1971 | 0.1% | -50.0% |
| 1972 | 0.4% | +300.0% |
| 1973 | 0.1% | -75.0% |
| 1974 | 0.3% | +200.0% |
| 1975 | 0.2% | -33.3% |
| 1976 | 0.1% | -50.0% |
| 1977 | 0.3% | +200.0% |
| 1978 | 0.1% | -66.7% |
| 1979 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.2% | +100.0% |
| 1982 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.3% | +50.0% |
| 1987 | 0.1% | -66.7% |
| 1988 | 0.2% | +100.0% |
| 1989 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.3% | +50.0% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | +33.3% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.3% | -25.0% |
| 1997 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.4% | +33.3% |
| 1999 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.3% | -25.0% |
| 2001 | 0.4% | +33.3% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | -25.0% |
| 2005 | 0.4% | +33.3% |
| 2006 | 0.3% | -25.0% |
| 2007 | 0.4% | +33.3% |
| 2008 | 0.5% | +25.0% |
| 2009 | 0.4% | -20.0% |
| 2010 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.5% | +25.0% |
| 2012 | 0.5% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.3% | -40.0% |
| 2014 | 0.4% | +33.3% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.5% | +25.0% |
| 2019 | 0.5% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.6% | +20.0% |
| 2021 | 0.5% | -16.7% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 0.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.6%, 83% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 0.5% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.6%, 83% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) (% of population) in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | +300.0% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.6% | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More poverty & inequality data for United Kingdom
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 6 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ 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 poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 ppp) in United Kingdom?
- Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 ppp) in United Kingdom was 0.5% in 2021, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
- What is the highest poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 ppp) recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 0.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 ppp) recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1971.
- How does United Kingdom rank for poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 ppp)?
- United Kingdom ranks 96th out of 123 countries with data for 2021.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 ppp) rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as part of Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $4.20 a day at 2021 international prices.