Poverty rates for single working age adults: after housing costs 2013/14
The tables below detail the rate of poverty for single working age adults without dependent children, by gender, employment status,
and age. Single working age adults are defined as those aged between 16 and pension age, who are not in education. Around two
thirds live in households with other family groups, e.g. a non-dependent adult still living in the parental home. The tables below
present statistics for the individual single working age adults and do not include any other people who may live in the same
household.
These tables provide an analysis of single working age adults without dependent children, providing further analysis of the headline
figures included in Risk and Depth of Poverty Table.
Being in relative poverty means equivalised household income is less than 60% UK median income: in 2013/14 this equated to
household income less than £232 per week (£12,100 per year). Being in severe poverty means equivalised household income of
less than 50% UK median income: in 2013/14 this equated to £193 per week after housing costs (£10,071 per year).
Key points
 The high rates of poverty for single working age adults are driven by not being in employment (either unemployment, or not
actively seeking employment). Where single working age adults are in employment, poverty rates are not different from the
national average.
 Women are slightly more likely to be in poverty if they are working full time or are self-employed but men are more likely to be in
poverty if they are working part time than women.
 Younger women had lower rates of poverty than men. However, from their mid-thirties on, women had higher rates of poverty
than men. This is despite women having higher rates of employment at all ages than men. As such, in-work poverty is higher
for women at all age groups than men.
Poverty rates for single working age adults by gender, employment status and age: after housing costs 2013/14
Relative poverty
Population
Number in
poverty
Severe poverty
Rate of
poverty
Number in
poverty
Rate of
poverty
SINGLE WORKING AGE ADULTS: Gender
Male
580,000
170,000
30%
130,000
23%
In employment
340,000
40,000
13%
30,000
9%
Not in employment
240,000
130,000
53%
100,000
43%
440,000
110,000
26%
90,000
21%
In employment
280,000
40,000
13%
30,000
10%
Not in employment
150,000
70,000
49%
60,000
40%
Female
Poverty rates for single working age males, by employment status and age: after housing costs 2013/14
MALE: Employment status
No adult in employment, over 60
20,000
10,000
30%
-
18%
Unemployed
70,000
50,000
65%
40,000
58%
Other inactive
140,000
70,000
51%
60,000
39%
Self-employed
*
*
*
*
*
Full time employment
250,000
20,000
8%
10,000
5%
Part time employment
60,000
20,000
29%
10,000
22%
In employment
130,000
20,000
15%
10,000
10%
Not in employment
100,000
60,000
55%
40,000
42%
In employment
80,000
10,000
12%
10,000
8%
Not in employment
30,000
20,000
52%
10,000
43%
In employment
50,000
10,000
14%
10,000
12%
Not in employment
30,000
20,000
59%
20,000
52%
In employment
50,000
10,000
12%
-
9%
Not in employment
40,000
20,000
60%
20,000
53%
In employment
30,000
-
7%
-
6%
Not in employment
40,000
20,000
40%
10,000
26%
MALE: Age
Less than 25
25 to less than 35
35 to less than 45
45 to less than 55
55 to less than 65
Poverty rates for single working age females, by employment status and age: after housing costs 2013/14
FEMALE: Employment status
No adult in employment, over 60
*
-
52%
-
42%
Unemployed
*
*
*
*
*
Other inactive
120,000
50,000
43%
40,000
34%
Self-employed
*
*
*
*
*
Full time employment
190,000
20,000
9%
10,000
6%
Part time employment
80,000
20,000
23%
20,000
20%
110,000
10,000
12%
10,000
10%
Not in employment
70,000
30,000
44%
20,000
34%
In employment
50,000
10,000
11%
-
9%
*
*
*
*
*
40,000
10,000
17%
-
11%
*
*
*
*
*
In employment
50,000
10,000
15%
10,000
12%
Not in employment
30,000
20,000
52%
10,000
45%
In employment
30,000
-
16%
-
11%
Not in employment
30,000
10,000
52%
10,000
48%
FEMALE: Age
Less than 25
25 to less than 35
In employment
Not in employment
35 to less than 45
In employment
Not in employment
45 to less than 55
55 to less than 65
Source: Family Resources Survey (FRS), DWP
Please note, numbers are rounded to the nearest 10 thousand people. This follows the guidance for publishing poverty estimates for Scotland from the FRS.
Unless otherwise stated, all data based on three year pooled FRS data covering 2011/12 – 2013/14.
* indicates cells where sample sizes are too small to provide robust estimates
- indicates cells where the value is rounded to zero.