Prosperity gap (average shortfall from a prosperity standard) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Prosperity gap (average shortfall from a prosperity standard) was 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
105th
of 123 countries
All-time high
1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day
in 1968
All-time low
0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day
in 2006
Years of data
54
1968–2021
Prosperity gap 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 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day for prosperity gap in 2021.
The figure is up 12.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prosperity gap in United Kingdom peaked at 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 1968 and was at its lowest, 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day, in 2006.
United Kingdom ranks 105th of 123 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Prosperity gap (average shortfall from a prosperity standard) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | — |
| 1969 | 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -6.7% |
| 1971 | 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +7.1% |
| 1972 | 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -13.3% |
| 1974 | 1.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +7.7% |
| 1976 | 1.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 1.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -7.1% |
| 1979 | 1.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 1.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 1.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -7.7% |
| 1983 | 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 1.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -8.3% |
| 1988 | 1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -9.1% |
| 1989 | 1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +10.0% |
| 1995 | 1.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -9.1% |
| 1997 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -10.0% |
| 1998 | 1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +11.1% |
| 1999 | 1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -10.0% |
| 2001 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -11.1% |
| 2007 | 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +12.5% |
| 2010 | 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -11.1% |
| 2011 | 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +12.5% |
| 2013 | 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -11.1% |
| 2014 | 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +12.5% |
| 2017 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.05 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day, 86% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day, 69% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 2 |
| 1970s | 1.38 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.17 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.01 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.87 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.85 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 103 Estonia 1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 103 Russia 1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 105 Poland 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 107 Austria 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 107 Czechia 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 107 Denmark 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
More poverty & inequality data for United Kingdom
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 6 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ 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 prosperity gap in United Kingdom?
- Prosperity gap in United Kingdom was 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day 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 prosperity gap recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 1.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 1968.
- What is the lowest prosperity gap recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 2006.
- How does United Kingdom rank for prosperity gap?
- United Kingdom ranks 105th out of 123 countries with data for 2021.
- Is prosperity gap rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Prosperity gap (average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28 per day (adjusted for differences in purchasing power parity across countries). It is measured as the average factor by which incomes fall short of $28.