Total shortfall from extreme poverty in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Total shortfall from extreme poverty was 208.75 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2021)
208.75 million international-$ in 2021 prices
Change on year
down 15.2%
World rank
47th
of 120 countries
All-time high
246.22 million international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2020
All-time low
0 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 1973
Years of data
54
1968–2021
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in United Kingdom, 1968–2021
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
In 2021, total shortfall from extreme poverty in United Kingdom stood at 208.75 million international-$ in 2021 prices.
That represents a change of down 15.2% on the previous year and up 64.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total shortfall from extreme poverty in United Kingdom peaked at 246.22 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0 international-$ in 2021 prices, in 1973.
That places United Kingdom 47th 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.
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 40.09 million international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1969 | 53.65 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +33.8% |
| 1970 | 40.28 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -24.9% |
| 1971 | 38.99 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.2% |
| 1972 | 67.57 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +73.3% |
| 1973 | 0 international-$ in 2021 prices | -100.0% |
| 1974 | 72.34 million international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1975 | 60.30 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -16.6% |
| 1976 | 28.63 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -52.5% |
| 1977 | 77.99 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +172.4% |
| 1978 | 5.91 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -92.4% |
| 1979 | 14.40 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +143.6% |
| 1980 | 35.44 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +146.2% |
| 1981 | 7.74 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -78.2% |
| 1982 | 27.79 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +259.2% |
| 1983 | 20.92 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -24.7% |
| 1984 | 30.04 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +43.6% |
| 1985 | 39.60 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +31.8% |
| 1986 | 96.59 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +143.9% |
| 1987 | 1.18 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -98.8% |
| 1988 | 31.43 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +2554.2% |
| 1989 | 41.26 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +31.3% |
| 1990 | 33.14 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -19.7% |
| 1991 | 35.31 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +6.6% |
| 1992 | 48.34 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +36.9% |
| 1993 | 33.76 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -30.2% |
| 1994 | 118.66 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +251.5% |
| 1995 | 107.19 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -9.7% |
| 1996 | 75.93 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -29.2% |
| 1997 | 76.67 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 97.64 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +27.3% |
| 1999 | 116.12 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +18.9% |
| 2000 | 122.92 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.9% |
| 2001 | 116.94 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.9% |
| 2002 | 128.12 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +9.6% |
| 2003 | 119.00 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -7.1% |
| 2004 | 130.58 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +9.7% |
| 2005 | 148.37 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +13.6% |
| 2006 | 125.01 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -15.7% |
| 2007 | 132.44 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.9% |
| 2008 | 139.83 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.6% |
| 2009 | 170.40 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +21.9% |
| 2010 | 138.17 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -18.9% |
| 2011 | 126.77 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -8.3% |
| 2012 | 177.82 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +40.3% |
| 2013 | 110.98 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -37.6% |
| 2014 | 161.09 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +45.2% |
| 2015 | 144.84 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -10.1% |
| 2016 | 179.98 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +24.3% |
| 2017 | 194.69 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +8.2% |
| 2018 | 226.31 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +16.2% |
| 2019 | 209.92 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -7.2% |
| 2020 | 246.22 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +17.3% |
| 2021 | 208.75 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -15.2% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 208.75 million international-$ in 2021 prices is above the median for high income countries, which is 21.17 million international-$ in 2021 prices, 9.9× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 208.75 million international-$ in 2021 prices is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 8.37 million international-$ in 2021 prices, 25.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total shortfall from extreme poverty 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +2554.2% | 1.18 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 31.43 million international-$ in 2021 prices |
| 1982 | +259.2% | 7.74 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 27.79 million international-$ in 2021 prices |
| 1994 | +251.5% | 33.76 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 118.66 million international-$ in 2021 prices |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 46.87 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 40.09 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 53.65 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 2 |
| 1970s | 40.64 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 0 international-$ in 2021 prices | 77.99 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 1980s | 33.20 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 1.18 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 96.59 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 1990s | 74.28 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 33.14 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 118.66 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2000s | 133.36 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 116.94 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 170.40 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2010s | 167.06 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 110.98 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 226.31 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 227.48 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 208.75 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 246.22 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 44 Morocco 272.90 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 45 Guinea-Bissau 263.41 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 46 Egypt 219.90 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 48 Ecuador 198.96 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 49 Australia 178.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 50 Gambia 161.53 million international-$ in 2021 prices 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 total shortfall from extreme poverty in United Kingdom?
- Total shortfall from extreme poverty in United Kingdom was 208.75 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2021, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 246.22 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020.
- What is the lowest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 international-$ in 2021 prices in 1973.
- How does United Kingdom rank for total shortfall from extreme poverty?
- United Kingdom ranks 47th out of 120 countries with data for 2021.
- Is total shortfall from extreme poverty rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 64.7%. 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 Total shortfall from extreme poverty. 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
This is the amount of money that would be theoretically needed to lift the income or consumption of all people in poverty up to $3 per day. However, this is not a measure of the actual cost of eliminating poverty, since it does not take into account the costs involved in making the necessary transfers nor any changes in behavior they would bring about.