Pupils impacted by poverty will receive further support to succeed in their studies through a continued £43 million investment this year.
The Scottish Government funding will be distributed to local councils for strategic approaches to closing the poverty-related attainment gap. This will provide support to schools through the recruitment of additional teachers, support staff and family link workers, as well as enhanced professional learning for teachers and school leaders.
The funding is part of the £1.75 billion Scottish Attainment Challenge which has been running for the past decade and forms a key part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to ensure every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of background.
The funding announcement coincides with a newly-published report highlighting how the Scottish Government’s work to close the poverty-related attainment gap is having a positive impact on children and young people’s education and overall wellbeing.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth announced the funding at the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES) conference today.
Ms Gilruth said: “Closing the poverty-related attainment gap is a vital part in our commitment to eradicate child poverty at Scotland. When more children are given a chance to succeed through education, the more we accelerate our progress in reaching this goal.
“The report published today demonstrates how our ongoing investment continues to deliver for Scotland’s schools – it demonstrates that pupils are going to school feeling confident and enjoying their studies. That has been achieved by empowering headteachers to deliver bespoke solutions that meet children and young people’s needs.
“The latest exam data also shows us that this is translating into results, with the deprivation gap narrowing at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level over the past year. It is important that we continue to build on this progress, and the funding announced today will do exactly that.”
VERY LOW TRUST OF POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT IN SCOTLAND
The lives of people in the UK failed to improve in the last year, according to a new report from Carnegie UK based on their annual survey of over 7,000 people.
Published a month ahead of the autumn Budget, the policy foundation’s report shows that households are finding it a little more affordable to keep their homes warm enough than they did in 2023 or 2024.
But the study shows that economic hardship has not eased for millions, especially those living in social housing; families with three or more children; and people on low incomes.
Carnegie UK’s chief executive Sarah Davidson has called on ministers to take action to improve the lives of those left behind by successive governments.
The Life in the UK Index is designed to measure the collective wellbeing of the nation through a 26-question Ipsos survey across social, economic, environmental and democratic themes.
The headline index score – designed to measure the wellbeing of people in the country – shows no significant change between this year, last year and 2023.
Sarah Davidson, chief executive of Carnegie UK, said: “Our index shows that between May 2024 and May 2025, the average person in the UK saw no meaningful improvement in their life.
“Public services and systems are barely working for too many households, and our research shows that poorer people, larger families and people in social housing are still getting left behind.
“A month ahead of the budget, there’s an opportunity for the Chancellor to invest in closing this gap. It’s unacceptable that so many people’s wellbeing still rests on issues such as their income, housing, disability, and the place where they live.
“Our survey highlights what life is really like for people living in the UK in 2025 and it should now be the mission of government to take bolder and more joined-up action to make life better.”
Carnegie UK warns that there are large economic wellbeing gaps between different groups in society that aren’t closing. The paper states ‘while some individuals report greater financial stability and improved living conditions, others remain at risk of exclusion and hardship.’
The research shows 79% of UK adults can afford to keep their home adequately warm in 2025, up two percentage points from 2024 and six percentage points from 2023.
The report finds declining satisfaction with local job opportunities; widespread experience of problems with pollution and littering in local neighbourhoods; but a small improvement in the average person’s mental and physical health.
The research also reveals an increase in trust in the UK Government compared to the same study in 2024 but warns that most people still feel like they have no influence over the decisions that affect their lives.
For a third year, Carnegie UK’s research also shows a widespread lack of trust in politics and government with almost three quarters of UK adults (72%) reporting that they do not feel they can’t influence decisions affecting the UK.
Just over half of adults (54%) had medium or high trust in the UK Government in 2025, up nine percentage points from 2024.
Modest and unequal gains to wellbeing in Scotland
The wellbeing of the people of Scotland saw modest improvements over the past two years, according to the new report by Carnegie UK. However, the research highlights that people in social housing or living with a disability remain much more likely to face economic and social hardship than other groups in Scotland.
The Scotland breakdown of Carnegie’s Life in the UK Index for 2025 shows the wellbeing of people in Scotland improving over the last two years, with more people finding it affordable to heat their homes adequately and fewer people finding it unaffordable to go on a week’s holiday.
This change combined with other factors like improving mental health and higher satisfaction with education and skills led to an increase in overall levels of wellbeing in Scotland.
The report also finds that the wellbeing of the people of Scotland is now slightly higher than the UK average for the first time since the annual research series began in 2023.
The Dunfermline-based policy foundation says that next year’s Holyrood election is an opportunity for the country’s political parties to lay out long-term plans to tackle poverty and inequality.
Sarah Davidson, chief executive of Carnegie UK, said: “Our research shows an improvement to the collective wellbeing of people in Scotland between 2023 and 2025. That’s good news but we’re still far from a situation where everyone in Scotland has their basic needs met.
“Next year’s Holyrood elections are an opportunity for Scotland’s political parties to make real progress in closing the national wellbeing gap. Many of the greatest challenges the country faces – like working with communities to build back up deprived neighbourhoods – cannot be fixed in a year or even an electoral term.
“There’s an opportunity for the next administration to build systems and processes which join-up government action to tackle the gross inequalities and widespread poverty we all see every day. Underpinning this approach should be efforts to regularly and systematically measure the wellbeing of the people of this country.”
The Index, based on a 26-question survey of 7,106 people including 1,035 in Scotland, looks at the social, economic, environmental and democratic aspects of life in the UK. The headline index score for Scotland – designed to measure the wellbeing of people in the country – is 63 out of a possible 100. The equivalent UK figure is 62 out of a possible 100. The index has been running since 2023, and this is the first time there has been a notable difference between UK nations.
The research also continues to find very low trust in politics and government in Scotland. While Carnegie’s survey work shows a small increase in democratic wellbeing in England over the last year, no such change is seen north of the border.
About half (52%) of people in Scotland have low trust in the UK Government. This is an improvement of eight percentage points since last year, although it remains significantly higher than the UK average of 45%. By comparison, 36% of people have low trust in the Scottish Government – a figure that’s not changed significantly in the last year.
Furthermore, 34% of people now have low trust in their local council, six percentage points higher than in 2023. Younger people, disabled people and people living in deprived neighbourhoods are those least likely to feel heard by decision-makers.
Being disabled and living in a deprived neighbourhood are the two factors most strongly associated with low wellbeing in Scotland in 2025. In addition, about a third (32%) of people in Scotland are dissatisfied with job opportunities in their local area – a figure that’s not improved in the last year.
Stephen Boyd, director of IPPR Scotland, said: “This important report from Carnegie UK contains a number fascinating and revealing insights which should be of huge interest and concern to all Scotland’s politicians.
“It is encouraging that the index has seen a modest uptick in wellbeing but the findings on trust in politics and government reflect deep-seated views that politics is failing to deliver on the public’s priorities.
“The results confirming low levels of wellbeing amongst disabled people and in deprived neighbourhoods reflects the ongoing failure of both UK and Scottish governments to tackle longstanding inequalities. It is essential that manifestos for next year’s Scottish elections bring forward credible policy agendas for remedying these failures”.
The Edinburgh Poverty Commission has published a report and action plan for tackling poverty over the next five years.
Five years on from their original report, they have joined forces with the End Poverty Edinburgh citizens’ group, to evaluate what has changed in the city since 2020, what has worked best to prevent people being trapped in a cycle of poverty, and to set out a practical pathway for the next five years.
Unveiled at a conference in the Southside yesterday (Friday 31 October), A Just Capital: 2025 Call to Action acknowledges positive progress has been made to support residents across the city – but reveals poverty rates remain largely unchanged and that the next five years need to be a period of accelerated delivery.
Responding to the findings, City of Edinburgh Council Leader Jane Meagher said: “Since the Commission’s initial report, we’ve declared a housing emergency and experienced an unprecedented cost of living crisis. Withfood prices now 57% higher and electricity costs up 48%,ithas become even more difficult to tackle poverty, but we are making progress.
“The Commission’s calls to action in 2020 have enabled us to focus as a city and to work better together. Our collective efforts have prevented thousands more people from entering poverty and homelessness and have helped many more into secure work. This is alongside putting millions of pounds worth of previously unclaimed benefits into people’s pockets and helping to establish a dedicated poverty prevention fund.
“And yet, poverty rates remain unchanged, and the figures are stark. Nearly a quarter of a million children are experiencing poverty in Scotland, and more than 80,000 Edinburgh residents are struggling to make ends meet, often being forced to choose between heating or eating.
“We cannot address this alone and I welcome the Commission’s latest report, which calls on all levels of government to respond.
“Over the next five years we will focus our efforts on prevention – establishing new neighbourhood prevention partnerships meaning people can get all the help they need in one place. We also need to increase the affordable and social rented housing Edinburgh so desperately needs. We’re determined to take every local action possible to make life fairer for everyone who calls Edinburgh home.
Linda Craik, Co-Chair of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission said: “During this review we’ve heard some quite distressing stories of the impacts and effects of poverty on families and we’ve heard the frustrations of those agencies and individuals who are trying to help them. But we’ve also seen some fantastic examples of collaborative working which is starting to make an impact on the poverty landscape.
“It can be so easy to look at the poverty, housing, health, employment statistics and feel deflated and disheartened, but we, as a city, made a commitment and we are moving forward.
“Just keep listening to the people you are trying to help – they after all just might have some of the answers and the simple solutions that sometimes aren’t as obvious as you’d think they might be.
“End Poverty Edinburgh are such people and we’re more than happy to work with anyone who wants to be part of movement to eradicate poverty in our city.”
Jim McCormick, Co-Chair of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission, said:“We are five years on since the Edinburgh Poverty Commission set out calls to action for the city in A Just Capital. Published between two Covid lockdowns, Commission members could not have anticipated the long shadow of the pandemic on people’s lives, or the impact of the cost-of-living crisis that followed.
“We cannot say things have got better city-wide. Some things have become tougher. Overall, Edinburgh is not on track to solve poverty. Poverty levels appear to have flat-lined.
“At the same time, it is also true that we have seen signs of positive change. Powerful collaborative work is being done at neighbourhood level, while early but decisive steps are being taken to prevent homelessness.
“That this review has taken place at all is a mark of the city’s commitment. For things to improve, this needs to go further. We have found enough determination in the city to believe that the original calls to action can still be achieved by 2030.
“Longer-term and flexible funding, true collaboration between sectors and new forms of accountability are required for these examples to achieve their real impact.
“This is a time for renewed commitment from those we elect at local, Scottish and UK levels, via investment in social housing, education, fair work, social security, equity in education, health and social care and a just transition. There is no sustainable route to ending poverty otherwise.”
Change for the better happens when people stand together and demand it. That is why thousands of people took to the streets of Edinburgh yesterday to say with one voice that we demand better – better than poverty, better than inequality and better than divisive, hateful narratives that seek to pit our communities against one another.
Trade unions, faith groups, community organisations and charities stood shoulder to shoulder with people from across Scotland to demand fair work, strong public services and dignified social security.
It was a showcase to our political decision makers at all levels that we are tired of waiting for change on the injustice of poverty, and we are standing together to demand action.
This isn’t the end. It is the start of a movement, together in hope and solidarity, for a better Scotland for all of us.
Edinburgh Poverty Commission – A Just Capital: 2025 Call to Action
Join us for the official launch of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission’s Interim Report!
This exciting event will take place at the Nicolson Square Venues, where we will share our findings and calls to action to tackle poverty in our city over the next 5 years.
You’ll also have the opportunity to meet the commission members and citizens who have shaped this work, and to help us build on what is already a vibrant movement to end poverty in Edinburgh.
We look forward to seeing you then!
Jim McCormick and Linda Craik – Co-chairs, Edinburgh Poverty Commission
BACKGROUND:
In 2020 we published our landmark report ‘A Just Capital’ setting a ten year mission, and clear calls to action for the steps needed to eradicate poverty in Scotland’s capital city.
Five years into that mission we have reconvened, in a newly invigorated collaboration with the End Poverty Edinburgh citizen’s group, to comment on what has changed in this city since the publication of our first report, what has worked best for people who live in poverty, and to set out a practical pathway for the next five years.
Doors open 9.30am for 10:00am start Event ends 12:00 noon.
New report reinforces case for stronger wealth taxes as a key building block of wider package of UK and Scottish fair tax reforms
A new report for Tax Justice Scotland has exposed Scotland’s staggering wealth gap with just five families holding more wealth (£19.3bn) than a quarter of Scotland’s population with the least wealth combined (£18.9bn).
The news comes as campaigners, frontline delivery organisations, academics, trade unions and others gather in Edinburgh for a major tax justice conference to explore the urgent need for a package of fair improvements to the tax systems at Scotland, UK and global levels.
The report, Taxing Wealth for a Fairer and Greener Scotland, produced by the Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) on behalf of the campaign, makes clear that fairer taxes on wealth at UK and Scotland levels must be at the heart of this package of reforms to invest in and drive progress towards a fairer, greener and more prosperous future.
Tax Justice Scotland says improved wealth taxation is only one part of a fairer tax system and is today also challenging all political parties in Scotland to outline detailed proposals for using the powers of the Scottish Parliament to improve devolved and local tax systems.
The STUC analysis highlights the extreme end of wealth inequality after official data showed the wealthiest 2% of Scottish households have more wealth than the poorest 50% combined.
The report shows that the fortunes of Scotland’s very wealthiest people are surging far faster than people’s pay packets. Between 2024 and 2025, the combined wealth of Scotland’s ten richest families shot up by almost 8%, outstripping average earnings growth (5.9%).
Incredibly, the five richest families in Scotland are estimated to have more wealth (£19.3bn) than the Scottish Government collected in Income Tax (£19bn) last year.
For illustrative purposes, the STUC analysis shows that a modest annual wealth tax of just 2% on all those with assets of more than £10 million could raise nearly half a billion pounds (£492 million) from Scotland’s 10 richest families alone, enough to pay for 12,000 new nurses, or 11,000 new teachers, or to double the Scottish Child Payment and lift more than 30,000 children out of poverty.
Given such a wealth tax would apply to all those with assets of more than £10 million in Scotland, it would raise even more.
Roz Foyer, General Secretary of the STUC, said on behalf of Tax Justice Scotland:“This research lays bare the shocking concentration of wealth in Scotland. While families across the country are struggling to pay their bills, a handful of the super-rich are lining their pockets with more and more money.
“It doesn’t have to be this way: fairly taxing this eye-watering wealth could, according to STUC research, mean more 12,000 new nurses in hospitals, 11,000 more teachers in classrooms or to double the Scottish Child Payment and lift more than 30,000 children out of poverty
“Politicians across the UK should be in no doubt that it’s their dithering and delay that is deepening the crisis within our communities and public services. The powers to make a radical change to our tax system are at their disposal. The excuses must end. Scotland can work for everyone, not just the richest few. It’s time that work was started without equivocation.”
Tax Justice Scotland believes a series of tax reforms are needed to deliver the investment Scotland needs, while incentivising positive behaviours, to tackle poverty, strengthen public services, cut emissions and support fair work, while reducing the many forms of inequality that persist, including gender and economic inequality.
The campaign says this package of reform is essential to building a fairer, greener and more prosperous future for everyone in Scotland. While, over time, raising enough revenue is likely to require broad-based tax increases – fairer wealth taxation is vital.
As the Chancellor prepares her autumn Budget, campaigners point to growing momentum behind fairer taxes, with 68% of people in Scotland thinking the very richest should pay more. Over three-quarters (79%) of people in Scotland back a UK-wide wealth tax on the very richest people.
Previous analysis has shown that the measure, alongside a series of other reforms to improve existing UK-level taxes on wealth, like increasing Capital Gains Tax and applying National Insurance to investment income, could raise up to £60 billion a year across the UK.
A UK-wide wealth tax, if introduced, could help boost the Scottish Budget. But the STUC’s analysis shows that if the UK Government fails to act, the Scottish Parliament could use its own tax powers, with HMRC support, to introduce a locally-administered wealth tax.
The findings come against a backdrop of growing fiscal pressure: the Scottish Fiscal Commission has warned of a £4.7 billion shortfall in the Scottish Budget by the end of the decade, alongside mounting longer-term challenges. The Commission is urging all parties to work together before and after the Scottish election to address these challenges.
While making the case for improved taxation on all forms of wealth, Tax Justice Scotland says improving tax on property wealth in Scotland is particularly essential. Campaigners say the outdated and unfair Council Tax, still based on property values from 1991, must finally be replaced with a reformed property tax that reflects today’s housing wealth.
Property wealth has surged by almost £100 billion in just ten years, yet the Council Tax system remains frozen in time, letting those in the most expensive homes pay far less than they should, while many others are left paying over the odds.
Tax Justice Scotland say replacing Council Tax, alongside wider reforms to better tax the wealthiest and to build upon modest but progressive changes to Income Tax in Scotland, would collectively make sure those with the broadest shoulders contribute a fairer share.
Campaigners emphasise that while tax isn’t a silver bullet, it can play a much bigger role in building the Scotland we want to see.
Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland, a member of Tax Justice Scotland, said:“Our tax system can do so much more to help build the country the people of Scotland want, but, right now, it’s stacked in favour of the wealthy.
“It’s time to fix the system; and that must include better taxing wealth right across the UK and, in Scotland, finally replacing the outdated Council Tax.
“With the Scottish election fast approaching, all political parties have a clear choice: defend a broken system that protects the richest while short-changing critical priorities or back a fairer one that delivers a fairer, greener and more prosperous country for all of us.”
First Minister John Swinney has said the Scottish Government is committed to putting “more money in people’s pockets” through policies that alleviate financial pressures on families as Challenge Poverty Week begins.
The First Minister said the Scottish Government’s cost of living guarantee, which includes free bus travel for 2.3 million people, more than £6,000 in early learning and childcare support for each eligible child, free prescriptions and other measures, is delivering real savings for families across the country.
The guarantee sits alongside wider support, such as the Five Family Payments, including the Scottish Child Payment, which are reducing poverty.
The proportion of Scottish children living in absolute poverty has reached its lowest level in 30 years and the latest figures (for 2023-24) show that the rates of both relative and absolute child poverty in Scotland were 9 percentage points lower than the UK average.
Scottish Government policies are estimated to keep 70,000 children out of relative poverty in 2025-26. This impact is projected to grow over time to reach 100,000 children by 2028-29 – in part owing to plans to mitigate the UK Government’s two-child limit, which should keep 20,000 children out of poverty next year.
Mr Swinney said: “Tackling child poverty is this government’s defining mission and our determination is backed up by a commitment to put more money in people’s pockets and deliver real savings to support families.
“There are fewer children in poverty in Scotland than the rest of the UK because we have made bold policy choices backed by an unwavering resolve.
“The Scottish Child Payment was benefitting around 322,000 children and their families as of the end of June. Our free school meals programme is providing nutritious meals to more than 230,000 primary school pupils. We have cut costs for commuters by scrapping peak rail fares. Some 2.3 million people travel free on buses. And we’re mitigating the two-child limit early next year.
“The UK Government, if it is serious about tackling poverty, must match our ambition and, at the very least, fully scrap the two-child limit so that a generation of children don’t have their opportunities limited by inaction.
“But scrapping the two-child limit should also be done alongside the removal of the benefit cap. It is unconscionable to me that the UK Government could fail to address this – it must scrap both punitive policies.
“If it does, and it matches the Scottish Child Payment and introduces an Essentials Guarantee, our modelling estimates that the UK Government could reduce relative child poverty in Scotland by 100,000 children next year.
“We have made a difference through bold, game-changing policies. The blueprint is there. It is time for the UK Government to act.”
Lower income tax than in England for the majority of workers
Continuation of free prescriptions and free eye appointments
Free bus travel for 2.3 million people
Scottish undergraduate students will continue to pay no tuition fees
Funded childcare hours, which would otherwise cost families more than £6,000 a year per eligible child.
Free school meals, which save the average family who take up the offer £450 per child per year, will be expanded, and more breakfast clubs introduced.
Delivering Pension Age Winter Heating Payments for eligible Scottish pensioners in 2025-26
Scrapping peak rail fares
The Five Family Payments include:
The Scottish Child Payment, which is a weekly payment of £27.15 for each eligible child under 16 years of age.
The Best Start Grant includes three payments designed to support families at different stages, including during pregnancy and when a child starts school, including:
the Pregnancy and Baby Payment, which is a payment of £767.50 on the birth of the first child and £383.75 on the birth of any subsequent children
the Early Learning Payment, which is a payment of £319.80 per child for children between 2 and 3.5 years old to support child development
the School Age Payment, which is a payment of £319.80 per child to help with the costs of preparing for school
Best Start Foods, which is a prepaid card to buy healthy foods for eligible pregnant women and families with children under the age of three, with a minimum payment of £5.40 a week.
New report highlights the impacts of Scottish policies
Scottish benefits are easing the cost-of-living burden for families according to a new evaluation.
The Scottish Centre for Social Research surveyed people in receipt of any of the Five Family Payments, a group of benefits designed to tackle poverty and to improve household finances.
Findings show the payments have a positive impact on recipients’ overall finances and have helped to reduce material deprivation and food insecurity for low-income families. The majority of Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Foods recipients agreed the payments meant they did not need foodbanks.
Feedback also shows the majority of Best Start Foods recipients, who receive a pre-paid card to purchase healthy food, reported that the card enabled their families to have healthy meals more frequently.
Other impacts include a reduction to household debt and borrowing and more children being able to undertake extra-curricular activities, like sport, music or drama.
Recipients also commented that the automatic payment system reduces worry and stress.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville met some impacted families at Brunstane Primary School in Edinburgh.
Ms Somerville said: “We want every child to have the best start in life, but we recognise that the cost of living continues to have a negative impact on families across the country.
“It is a moral imperative to offer the best support we can, and I’m pleased that this work found an array of positive, meaningful impacts.
“But we are not letting up. We know there is more to do, which is why, as an example, we are launching the new Two Child Limit Payment in March, which will benefit the families of 43,000 children next year.
“And in the face of challenging economic headwinds and cuts to the UK welfare system, I want to reassure families that our support will continue. No child, nor family, will be left behind by the Scottish Government.”
One parent, Emma Hunter from Magdalene, said: “We are so grateful for the support we received with the healthy start vouchers, school uniforms and child payment.
“It has been such a huge help in easing the financial burden of starting a family and it has made a real difference to our lives.”
Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust, working alongside our partners in the Thrive Collective, is deeply disappointed by the recent decision of the Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board (EIJB) to end the Thrive contract for Physical Activities and Greenspaces from the end of November.
Through Thrive, we and our partners have worked in close collaboration with communities, health services, and local organisations to provide inclusive opportunities that improve physical and mental wellbeing.
We are proud of the collective impact that this work has had for people across Edinburgh, particularly those experiencing health inequalities.
This follows the earlier decision to withdraw grant funding for our Healthy Lifestyles work in South Edinburgh. Together, these cuts represent a significant reduction in support for programmes that enable communities across the city to access the health and wellbeing benefits of nature, physical activity, and local greenspaces.
The decision will have a real impact on the 1250 participants who rely on these programmes to support their physical health, mental wellbeing, and sense of social connection. Many of the people we work with face health inequalities and barriers to accessing mainstream services, and these activities have provided an essential lifeline.
Charlie Cumming, ELGT Chief Executive, confirmed the loss of this funding will directly affect our capacity to deliver dedicated programmes that improve health through engagement with local greenspaces.
It will also reduce the resources that are community-based, accessible, and effective alternatives to clinical treatment—helping people recover and build resilience outside of primary care settings.
Despite this setback, ELGT remain committed to championing greenspaces and active lives as vital to Edinburgh’s health and wellbeing.
We will continue to explore new ways of sustaining this essential work and will seek to secure funding that ensures these opportunities remain accessible to the communities who need them most.
We would like to sincerely thank all participants, volunteers, and partner organisations who have engaged with us.
Your commitment and enthusiasm highlight just how much this work matters and the difference it makes across the city.
New statistics show average wealth remained stable, while wealth inequality remained high.
According to the latest data which covers the period during the pandemic, a typical household in Scotland had £239,500 in total wealth, similar to previous years.
A typical household in the wealthiest 10% of households had £1.3 million in total wealth, whereas a typical household in the least wealthy 10% of households had £7,600.
The least wealthy households rarely own property or have any private pension savings. Their wealth is mainly made up of the value of their possessions such as cars, furniture and clothing.
Wealth inequality is more severe than income inequality: the 2% of households with the highest incomes had 10% of all income, while the wealthiest 2% of households had 15% of all wealth.
Households that tend to be wealthier than others are higher income households, pensioner couples, and home owners. In contrast, households with below average wealth tend to be low income households, lone-parent and single working-age adult households, and those in rented housing.
A fifth of households had insufficient savings to keep them above the poverty line for a month should they lose their income. Three per cent of households were in unmanageable debt. Just over a third of households did not own any property, and a third of adults had no private pension savings.
The released figures were produced in accordance with professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.
