Health and poverty

Analysis of Understanding Society shows that symptoms of poor mental and general health among adults in the lowest household income quintile (before housing costs) have increased since 2010–11. For example, the share of people in the lowest income households who felt they were achieving less rose from 9% in 2010–11 to 15% in 2022–23 — an increase of almost three-quarters. Similar increases were observed across all other measures of mental health difficulties.

Younger adults in poverty (aged 16–34) have seen the largest deterioration in overall health. Older adults also show changes, though smaller, and the impact of Covid-19 may have exacerbated mental health challenges across all age groups.

Working-age adults in poverty are more likely to report poor health. The largest gaps are for 35–49 and 50–64-year-olds, who are 14 percentage points more likely to report poor health than those not in poverty. The gap narrows for older adults; over-65s in poverty are 3 percentage points more likely to report poor health than their higher-income peers. These differences may be influenced by factors including ability to work, access to health screening, and longevity patterns among higher-income households.

Source: Households Below Average Income, 2023/24, DWP

Mental health difficulties are more common among those in the lowest income quintile. For example:

• 6% of the poorest fifth reported losing sleep vs 2% of the richest quintile
• 32% reported lacking energy vs 20% of the richest quintile
• 7% reported feelings of depression vs 3% of the richest quintile.

Between 2012–15 and 2021–24, small changes in the share of adults living in less than good health were seen across most age groups. Among 50–64-year-olds, rates decreased by 3 percentage points; 65+ decreased by 1 percentage point; 35–49 increased by 2 percentage points. However adults aged 16–34 saw the largest increase of 8 percentage points, highlighting worsening health for younger adults in poverty.