Report
Monitoring poverty and social exclusion 2000
The third edition of this annual report providing independent monitoring of 50 indicators of poverty and social exclusion in Britain today has now been published.
Grouped into six categories – income, children, young adults, adults, older people and communities – the indicators consider both trends over time and differences within the population. This year’s report finds that:
- The number of people living in households below half-average income in 1998/99 (after housing costs) is at a historic high of 14 million.
- There were 4½ million children in such households - a third of all children.
- Housing continues to improve, with overall levels of overcrowding almost halved over the last ten years.
- Health inequalities persist, with the general improvements in premature deaths being less pronounced in those areas with the poorest health.
- The proportion of 11-year-olds achieving key stage 2 in English and maths has improved across all types of school. Commentaries in each chapter now include a discussion of the key issues and provide a succinct list of the current government initiatives that should have an impact on the indicators.