Family resources survey and poverty analysis
Upcoming changes to NI’s poverty and income inequality statistics
Poverty statistics in Northern Ireland and across the United Kingdom are based on data from the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Family Resources Survey (FRS).
Over recent years, DWP has been undertaking a major FRS transformation programme to improve the quality, coherence and completeness of income-based poverty statistics, with a central focus on integrating administrative data with survey responses. From March 2026, information on the major state benefits and tax credits is based on administrative data rather than survey responses:
Northern Ireland Family Resources Survey
This series provides annual summaries of the key findings from the Northern Ireland Family Resources Survey. The reports include information on income (and sources of income), housing tenure, caring needs and responsibilities, disability, pension participation, occupation, employment, savings and investments.
The next edition of the Family Resources Survey for Northern Ireland is due to be released on 28 May 2026.
- Family Resources Survey report 2023 - 2024
- Family Resources Survey report 2022 - 2023
- Family Resources Survey report 2021 - 2022
- Family Resources Survey report 2020 - 2021
- Family Resources Survey report 2019 - 2020
Northern Ireland poverty statistics
The Northern Ireland Poverty and Income Inequality Report combines information that was previously published in the Northern Ireland Poverty Bulletin and Northern Ireland Households Below Average Income reports. It uses data collected from the Family Resources Survey to provide estimates of the proportion and number of individuals, children, working age adults and pensioners in Northern Ireland living in poverty, and other statistics on household income and income inequality.
The next edition of the Northern Ireland Poverty and Income Inequality Report is due to be released in Spring 2027.
Northern Ireland Poverty Bulletins and Households Below Average Income reports from previous years can be found at the links below:
- Northern Ireland Poverty and Income Inequality report 2023-24
- Northern Ireland Poverty and Income Inequality report 2022-23
- Northern Ireland Poverty and Income Inequality report 2021-22
- Northern Ireland Poverty Bulletin 2020-2021
- Cancellation of the Households below average income 2020-2021
Poverty research
The following research reports were produced as part of the Department’s Economic and Social Research Programme.
- Examining the Risk and Depth of Income Poverty for Northern Ireland Households using Administrative Data
- A Scoping Review of the Literature on Poverty in Northern Ireland
- A Study of the Key Sources of Poverty Data in Northern Ireland
- An Examination of the Rates and Distribution of Poverty in Northern Ireland
Further information
Historic Family Resources Survey (FRS) and Poverty publications are available on request by contacting the Analytics Division.
The FRS contains information which will be of interest to researchers and analysts from a wide range of disciplines in both the public and private sectors. FRS datasets can be accessed through the UK Data Service.
You can also view the United Kingdom/ Great Britain reports: