Persistent Poverty in Scotland 2010-2016

Chapter 1: Persistent poverty in Scotland

The statistics presented below are subject to a degree of error. This means that implied changes over the years and between countries may not be significant and instead be within a given error range. More information can be found in the Background Notes and Methodology section.

Persistent poverty is when an individual has been in poverty for three or more of the last four years. We measure it because we know that the impact of poverty on health and well-being is cumulative – the longer someone is in poverty, the more it impacts on their overall life chances.

Chart 1: Persistent poverty in Scotland BHC by population group

Chart 2: Persistent poverty in Scotland AHC by population group

1.1 People in persistent poverty

Between 2012 and 2016, 8% of people in Scotland were in persistent poverty before housing costs, the same as in 2011-15.

After housing costs 8% of people in Scotland were in persistent poverty in 2012-16, the same as in the previous period. This compares to 10% in the previous period.

1.2 Children in persistent poverty

Persistent poverty rates were higher for children.

Before housing costs, 9% of children in Scotland had been in persistent poverty between 2012 and 2016, compared to 10% in the previous period.

After housing costs, in 2012-16 10% of children were in persistent poverty, compared to 14% in the previous period.

1.3 Working-age adults in persistent poverty

Between 2012 and 2016, 7% of working-age adults in Scotland were in persistent poverty before housing costs, the same as in 2011-15.

After housing costs, 7% of working-age adults in Scotland were in persistent poverty in 2012-16, compared to 8% in the previous period.

1.4 Pensioners in persistent poverty

11% of pensioners in Scotland were in persistent poverty before housing costs in 2012-16, the same as in 2011-15.

After housing costs, 8% of pensioners were in persistent poverty in 2012-16, also the same as in 2011-15.

For most groups of the population the persistent poverty rate after housing costs is greater or the same than that before housing costs. The opposite is true for pensioners. The majority of pensioners own their own home and so have lower housing costs. Examining pensioners' incomes after deducting housing costs allows for more meaningful comparisons of income between working age people and pensioners, and of the pensioner population over time.