The Households Below Average Income Report for Northern Ireland 2013-14 is released

A report entitled “Households Below Average Income, Northern Ireland 2013-14” was published today by DSD.

The Households Below Average Income, Northern Ireland is produced annually by the Department for Social Development and contains statistics on income and poverty in Northern Ireland.

Key facts include:

Income

• In 2013-14 the average (median) household income in Northern Ireland, before housing costs, was £404 per week or £21,100 per year. This represents a small decrease of approximately 1% from the previous year
• From 2002-03 to 2008-09 median income in Northern Ireland generally increased year on year, but since then it has decreased. In 2013-14 median income levels in Northern Ireland were lower than in 2002-03, both before and after housing costs
• In 2013-14 those households in the top 20% of the income distribution had a weekly income 3.6 times higher than the bottom 20%, before housing costs
• In 2013-14 the Gini coefficient was 30% in Northern Ireland compared to 34% in the United Kingdom, which means the income distribution was more equal in Northern Ireland than in the United Kingdom

Whole population

• 21% of individuals were in relative poverty in 2013-14, approximately 376,000 individuals. This is an increase from 19% the previous year
• The overall long term trend of poverty has remained fairly stable since 2002-03, with approximately one fifth of the population living in relative poverty
• Of all the family types, couples without children had the lowest risk of being in relative poverty, at 12%
• The family type with the highest proportion of individuals living in relative poverty was single females without children, at 30%
• One quarter of individuals living in a family where someone is disabled were living in relative poverty in 2013-14

Children

• 23% of children were in poverty in 2013-14, approximately 101,000 children. This is an increase from 20% the previous year
• The level of child poverty in 2013-14 represents the first increase since 2009-10, however compared with child poverty levels over the past decade this is still quite low
• One quarter of children living in lone parent families were living in relative poverty in 2013-14
• Half of children living in workless households were living in relative poverty in 2013-14

Working-age adults

• 20% of working-age adults were in poverty in 2013-14, approximately 213,000 working-age adults. This is an increase from 18% the previous year
• The level of working-age poverty in 2013-14 is equal to the highest recorded since the start of the time series in 2002-03 and five percentage points higher than the series low in 2006-07
• Single working-age adults were more likely to be in relative poverty than working-age adults living as a couple, 26% compared to 16%
• One third of working-age adults with no qualifications were in relative poverty in 2013-14, compared to less than one tenth of those with a qualification at degree level or above

Pensioners

• 21% of pensioners were in poverty in 2013-14, approximately 63,000 pensioners. This is an increase from 20% the previous year
• Although relative poverty for pensioners has increased between 2012-13 and 2013-14 it is comparatively low when looking at the long term trend. In 2013-14 relative poverty for pensioners was eight percentage points lower than the series high recorded in 2008-09
• Single pensioners were more likely to be living in relative poverty than those living in a couple, 26% compared to 21%
• Pensioners without an occupational/personal pension were over three times more likely to be in relative poverty compared to those with some occupational/personal pension, 35% compared to 11%

The relative poverty figures presented above are Before Housing Costs (BHC), poverty figures After Housing Costs (AHC) are presented in the publication.

Notes to editors: 

1. This is the twelfth publication of the Households Below Average Income. This publication presents annual estimates of the percentage and number of people, children, working age adults and pensioners living in low income households in Northern Ireland (NI). The estimates are used to monitor progress towards United Kingdom (UK) targets to reduce poverty. The data published in this report are for the financial year April 2013 to March 2014
2. Figures presented in this publication are taken from the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) dataset, which is based on the Family Resources Survey (FRS). The FRS has been running in Great Britain since 1992 and was subsequently introduced to Northern Ireland in April 2002
3. An infographic on how low income is measured in HBAI is available on Gov.uk 
4. Poverty figures quoted in this press release are for relative poverty. An individual is considered to be in relative poverty if they are living in a household with an income below 60% of UK median income in the year in question. In 2013-14 the threshold was £272 per week (BHC) for a couple with no children (the benchmark for HBAI). Therefore, a couple with no children that have a combined income below £272 per week would be considered to be in relative poverty
5. All monetary amounts quoted in the key findings are in 2013/14 prices and any changes presented are in real terms i.e. after adjusting for inflation
6. For the first time this report includes the Gini coefficient to measure income inequality, this is a measure of the gap between the least and most well off. The higher the Gini coefficient, the greater the level of inequality across the population. The Gini coefficient can have a value of between zero and 100. A value of zero would indicate complete equality (where each person has the same income), while a value of 100 per cent would indicate total inequality (where all income is held by one person)
7. This publication Households Below Average Income 2013-14 is available online.
8. All media queries should be directed to the Department for Social Development Press Office on 028 9082 9496 or email press.office@dsdni.gov.uk. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.

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