Income and wealth

UK household income and wealth.

Spotlight

People from White ethnic groups had, on average, around 60% higher original household income (pre-tax and benefits) compared with Black ethnic groups (£42,400 versus £26,500) in the financial year ending (FYE) 2019; while the effects of taxes and benefits reduces this gap, income was still 17% lower after all these redistributive measures.
Employees who were working in occupations with a higher propensity for homeworking were on average more likely to have higher household disposable income in the FYE 2019.
Around half of workers in the richest fifth of people worked in occupations that were least exposed to the coronavirus (COVID-19), compared with around one in five workers in the poorest fifth of people.

Income inequality in the UK increased slightly over the two years to financial year ending (FYE) 2019, to reach 34.7% according to estimates from our Living Costs and Food Survey; this means that levels of income inequality are broadly comparable with their FYE 2011 levels.
Income inequality remains lower than the levels reached prior to the economic downturn; over the four years to FYE 2008 income inequality increased by an average of 1.2 percentage points per year to reach 38.6%, before falling to 34.1% by FYE 2011.
Income inequality for people in retired households has increased by 4.2 percentage points to reach 31.6% over the five years to FYE 2019; income inequality for people in non-retired households has been broadly stable over this period.

Estimates of median and mean disposable income for people in the UK for the financial year ending 2019.

Effects of taxes and benefits on household income

Average annual incomes, taxes and benefits, and household characteristics of retired and non-retired households in the UK. Data for financial years, by quintile and decile groups, country and region and tenure type.
Nowcasting household income in the UK

Provisional estimates of income and inequality measures for financial year ending 2018, alongside historical data.
Economic well-being estimates

Full dataset of economic well-being indicators included or referenced in the quarterly release.
Equivalised disposable household income

Average equivalised disposable income for all households
Households receiving more in benefits than paid in taxes

The percentage of households in the UK who receive more in benefits (both cash benefits and benefits in kind) than they pay in taxes (both direct and indirect), from 1977 to 2012/13.

Economic well-being, UK: April to June 2018

Presents a rounded and comprehensive basis for assessing changes in economic well-being through indicators that adjust or supplement more traditional measures such as gross domestic product (GDP).
Effects of taxes and benefits on UK household income: financial year ending 2019

The redistribution effects on individuals and households of direct and indirect taxation and benefits received in cash or kind, analysed by household type and the changing levels of income inequality over time.
Average household income, UK: financial year ending 2020 (provisional)

Provisional estimates of median and mean disposable income for people in the UK for the financial year ending 2020.
Personal and economic well-being in Great Britain: September 2020

Estimates looking across personal and economic well-being covering the period from 20 March to 26 July 2020, to understand the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on people and households in Great Britain.
Effects of taxes and benefits on UK household income: financial year ending 2019

The redistribution effects on individuals and households of direct and indirect taxation and benefits received in cash or kind, analysed by household type and the changing levels of income inequality over time.
Average household income, UK: financial year ending 2020 (provisional)

Provisional estimates of median and mean disposable income for people in the UK for the financial year ending 2020.

Generational income: The effects of taxes and benefits

The effects of direct and indirect taxation and benefits received in cash or kind on household income, across the generations and by age.
Persistent poverty in the UK and EU

Comparisons of persistent poverty between UK and other EU countries.
Financial capability in Great Britain

This article describes the results of analysis of the financial capability measures contained in the 2010 to 2012 Wealth and Assets Survey, many of which were asked for the first time in this wave. It has been written by Andrea Finney and David Hayes of the University of Bristol’s Personal Finance Research Centre to follow the style of an Office for National Statistics statistical bulletin
Early indicator estimates from the Wealth and Assets Survey

Preliminary estimates for Great Britain from the Wealth and Assets Survey using attitudinal data not dependent on thorough checking and imputation methodology.
Family spending in the UK

Average weekly household expenditure on goods and services in the UK, by region, age, income, economic status, socio-economic class and household composition.
General Lifestyle Survey

Includes chapters on health, smoking, drinking, households, families and access to vehicles.