Persistent poverty in Scotland 2010-2015

New experimental statistics have been published today showing the proportion of people living in persistent poverty in Scotland between 2010 and 2015.

We know that spending brief periods with a low income can be less damaging than living in poverty over a number of years. The persistent poverty figures show the number of individuals living in poverty for 3 or more of the last 4 years.

All individuals:

• Between 2011 and 2015, 8 per cent of people in Scotland were in persistent poverty before housing costs.
• After housing costs 9 per cent of people in Scotland were in persistent poverty in 2011 to 2015.

Children:

• Before housing costs, 10 per cent of children in Scotland had been in persistent poverty between 2011 and 2015.
• After housing costs, in 2011 to 2015 12 per cent of children were in persistent poverty.

Working Age Adults:

• Between 2011 and 2015, 7 per cent of working age adults in Scotland were in persistent poverty before housing costs.
• After housing costs 9 per cent of working age adults in Scotland were in persistent poverty in 2011 to 2015.

Pensioners:

• 11 per cent of pensioners in Scotland were in persistent poverty before housing costs in 2011 to 2015.
• After housing costs 7 per cent of pensioners were in persistent poverty in 2011 to 2015.

Scotland compared to other UK countries:

• Scotland generally had lower persistent poverty rates when compared with England, Northern Ireland and Wales, especially after housing costs.
• Before housing costs the Scottish persistent poverty rate for all individuals in 2010 – 2015 (8 per cent) was slightly lower than in England (9 per cent), Northern Ireland (11 per cent) and Wales (10 per cent).
• After housing costs the difference was greater with the Scottish persistent poverty rate (9 per cent) below that of England (12 per cent), Northern Ireland (12 per cent) and Wales (12 per cent).