Figures Reveal the Scale of Poverty in NI

The second annual Poverty in Northern Ireland report (August 2013) gives estimates of the proportion of children, working age adults and pensioners living in low income households during 2011-2012.

The report is based on information collected for the annual Family Resources Survey, which has been running since 2002.
Some of the key findings include:

• Average income levels in NI have decreased in real terms for three consecutive years. In 2011-2012 the average income was £372 per week before housing costs and £336 after housing costs, both of which are the lowest level in real terms since 2002-2003.
• The overall level of relative poverty in Northern Ireland has increased between 2010-2011 and 2011-2012.
• In 2011-2012 there were approximately 379,000 people (21% of the population) in relative poverty and approximately 422,000 (24% of the population) in absolute poverty before housing costs.
• In 2011-2012 there were almost 95,000 children (22%) in relative poverty and 109,000 children (25%) in absolute poverty before housing costs. The latter represents a 4 percentage point increase from the previous year.
• In 2011-2012 there were almost 213,000 working age adults (20%) in relative poverty and almost 235,000 working age adults (22%) in absolute poverty before housing costs. This is at the highest level since 2002-2003.
• In 2011-2012 approximately 72,000 pensioners (25%) were in relative poverty and approximately 79,000 pensioners (27%) were in absolute poverty before housing costs. The latter figure represents a five percentage point increase from the level of absolute poverty in 2010-2011.