Poverty and income inequality in Scotland

SCOTLAND's Chief Statistician has today published Poverty and income inequality in Scotland 2009/10. The publication presents annual estimates of the proportion and number of children, working age adults and pensioners living in low income households in Scotland and the distribution of household income across the nation.

Some of the key indicators are as follows:

* There was little change in overall levels of poverty and income inequality in Scotland between 2008/09 and 2009/10. However, there were some changes in the proportions of different age groups living in poverty.

* The percentage of people in relative poverty (before housing costs) remained at 17 per cent of the population between 2008/09 and 2009/10.

* Over this period slight decreases were recorded in all three of the indicators used to measure child poverty levels.

* In 2009/10 the proportion of working age adults in relative poverty (before housing costs) increased slightly but, after rounding, remained at 16 per cent.

* Between 2008/09 and 2009/10, the proportion of pensioners in relative poverty (before housing costs) increased by 1 percentage point to 17 per cent. This follows a drop in this figure of 5 percentage points between 2007/08 and 2008/09.

* A figure for pensioner material deprivation is included for the first time. 10 per cent of over 65s in Scotland are materially deprived according to the new indicator.

* New figures measuring persistent poverty are included for the first time. Between the periods of 1999-2002 and 2005-2008, the persistent poverty rate (BHC) in Scotland fell by 4 percentage points to 9 per cent.

Source:  e-Govmonitor.