Share of population in extreme poverty in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Share of population in extreme poverty was 0.4 in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2021)
0.4
Change on year
down 20.0%
World rank
83rd
of 120 countries
All-time high
0.5
in 2020
All-time low
0
in 1973
Years of data
54
1968–2021
Share of population in extreme poverty in United Kingdom, 1968–2021
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2021, share of population in extreme poverty in United Kingdom stood at 0.4.
The figure is down 20.0% on the previous year and up 33.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population in extreme poverty in United Kingdom peaked at 0.5 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1973.
That places United Kingdom 83rd out of 120 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.
Share of population in extreme poverty in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 0.2 | — |
| 1969 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.1 | -50.0% |
| 1971 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.2 | +100.0% |
| 1973 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1974 | 0.2 | — |
| 1975 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.1 | -50.0% |
| 1977 | 0.2 | +100.0% |
| 1978 | 0.1 | -50.0% |
| 1979 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.3 | +200.0% |
| 1987 | 0.1 | -66.7% |
| 1988 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.2 | +100.0% |
| 1990 | 0.1 | -50.0% |
| 1991 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.2 | +100.0% |
| 1994 | 0.4 | +100.0% |
| 1995 | 0.3 | -25.0% |
| 1996 | 0.2 | -33.3% |
| 1997 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.3 | +50.0% |
| 1999 | 0.3 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.3 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.3 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.3 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.3 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.3 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.3 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.3 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.3 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.4 | +33.3% |
| 2009 | 0.4 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.3 | -25.0% |
| 2011 | 0.3 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.4 | +33.3% |
| 2013 | 0.2 | -50.0% |
| 2014 | 0.4 | +100.0% |
| 2015 | 0.3 | -25.0% |
| 2016 | 0.4 | +33.3% |
| 2017 | 0.4 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.4 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.4 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.5 | +25.0% |
| 2021 | 0.4 | -20.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.13 | 0 | 0.2 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.13 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.22 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.32 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.35 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.45 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More poverty & inequality data for United Kingdom
- Data deprivation poverty surveys per decade 6 (2025)
- Fertility rate vs the share living in extreme poverty 1.56 (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty 7,138 (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 revenues vs income inequality 34.91 (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, annual growth rate -0.6407 % change on previous year (2023)
- Gender inequality index from the human development report 0.083 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population in extreme poverty in United Kingdom?
- Share of population in extreme poverty in United Kingdom was 0.4 in 2021, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population in extreme poverty recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 0.5 in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population in extreme poverty recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1973.
- How does United Kingdom rank for share of population in extreme poverty?
- United Kingdom ranks 83rd out of 120 countries with data for 2021.
- Is share of population in extreme poverty rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population in extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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