Persistent poverty: 2021

Data on persistent poverty in Wales comes from Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and is based on the Understanding Society longitudinal survey dataset. In their Income Dynamics report (DWP) DWP define a person to be in persistent poverty if he or she is in relative income poverty in at least 3 out of 4 consecutive years.

The figures below are subject to future revisions to improve data quality. New information can be collected from respondents which affects their data in earlier years. For this reason users should refer to the latest DWP Income Dynamics report for data on previous periods.

Main points

• An individual in Wales had a 12% chance of being in persistent poverty between 2017 and 2021 (after housing costs were paid).
• The likelihood of being in persistent poverty varies by region/country. In England, the figure was 13%, in Scotland 12%, and in Northern Ireland 9% (after housing costs were paid).
• A child in Wales had a 17% likelihood of being in persistent poverty between 2017 and 2021 (after housing costs were paid).
• This was lower than for England (19%) and Scotland (18%) but higher than for Northern Ireland (12%).
• A working age adult in Wales had a 10% likelihood of being in persistent poverty between 2017 and 2021 (after housing costs were paid).
• This was the same as that for Scotland and Northern Ireland. The figure for England was higher at 11%.
• A pensioner living in Wales between 2017 and 2021 had an 11% likelihood of being in persistent poverty (after housing costs were paid)
• This was higher than the likelihood in England and Scotland, both at 10%. The likelihood in Northern Ireland was 4%.