Geography and poverty

Poverty rates differ substantially across the UK, revealing persistent geographical inequalities. Among the UK nations, Northern Ireland has the lowest poverty rate at 17%, followed by Scotland at 20%. England and Wales both have poverty rates of 22%.

These differences have remained broadly consistent over time, showing that progress in reducing poverty has been uneven across the UK.

National averages can mask much deeper regional and local variation. Local labour markets, housing costs, benefit receipt and access to services shape how poverty is experienced in different places. In cities, high housing costs and reliance on private renting are key drivers, while in post-industrial and coastal areas, low pay and limited job opportunities play a larger role.

Source: Households Below Average Income, 2023/24, DWP 
Notes: Numbers don't sum to total due to rounding.

The highest child poverty rates are concentrated in large cities, where high housing costs and widespread renting increase the risk of poverty. These areas are also among the most ethnically diverse.

For example, in Bradford West, 57% of children live in poverty and 61% of the population is Asian or Asian British (City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, 2023). This reflects wider structural inequalities in housing, employment and access to services that disproportionately affect ethnic minority communities.

Higher child poverty rates are also common in parts of the North of England and the Midlands, particularly in older industrial and coastal towns. These areas often face weaker labour markets, with lower employment rates, lower pay and fewer secure job opportunities than other parts of the country.

Over the past two decades, poverty rates across much of the UK have remained persistently high, with limited long-term improvement. In most UK nations and regions, poverty rates in 2021–24 were lower than 26 years earlier, with the notable exception of the West Midlands.

After rising to 27% in the two previous periods, the West Midlands poverty rate has now fallen back to 24%. This is the same level recorded in 1994–97, indicating that long-term progress has stalled despite recent improvement.

Where poverty has fallen over time, this has largely been driven by reductions in pensioner poverty and rising employment among working-age adults. However, increasing economic inactivity and the growth of in-work poverty have limited further progress.