For a person to be in relative income poverty it means they are living in a household where the total household income from all sources is less than 60 per cent of the average UK household income (as given by the median).

1. Relative income poverty
Housing tenure, economic status
and type of employment

2. Housing tenure

3. People in social rented housing were more likely
to be in relative income poverty (after housing costs)
• 48 per cent of those living in social rented housing in Wales were in
relative income poverty between 2014-15 and 2016-17 (an average over
three financial years), after their housing costs such as mortgage interest
payments/rent and water rates were paid.
• This means they were living in a household where the total household
income was less than 60 per cent of the average UK household income (as
given by the median).
• In comparison, 42 per cent of people in privately rented housing and 13
per cent of people in owner occupied housing were in relative income
poverty after housing costs.

4. Percentage of people in each type of housing tenure in Wales,
who were living in relative income poverty (after housing
costs), 2014-15 to 2016-17
48
42
13
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Social Rented Private Rented Owner Occupied
Source: Welsh Government Analysis of HBAI, Family Resources Survey, DWP

5. • However, considering the 720,000 people in relative income poverty in
Wales as a group, a greater number of them were living in owner
occupied housing (270,000) than in either category of rented housing.
• This is because the majority of households in Wales are owner occupied,
around two thirds according to the last Census.
The people in Wales who were living in relative income poverty
(after housing costs), by housing tenure, 2014-15 to 2016-17
240,000;
34%
210,000;
29%
270,000;
38%
Social
Rented
Private
Rented
Owner
Occupied
Source: Welsh Government Analysis of HBAI, Family Resources Survey, DWP

6. Economic status and
type of employment

7. Most children living in relative income poverty
were living in working households
• In the latest period (2014-15 to 2016-17), 64 per cent of children who were
living in relative income poverty lived in households where at least one
person was in work. This has increased for the last two periods from 60 per
cent in the period 2012-13 to 2014-15.

8. The children in Wales who were living in relative income poverty
(after housing costs), by economic status of household,
three-financial-year averages
21 23 19 21 24
30 33 31
29
31 39
42 37
30 28 33
50 46 42
37 40 40 39 36
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2007 to
2010
2008 to
2011
2009 to
2012
2010 to
2013
2011 to
2014
2012 to
2015
2013 to
2016
2014 to
2017
Percentage
Workless
households
At least one
adult in work,
but not all
All adults in
work
Source: Welsh Government Analysis of HBAI, Family Resources Survey, DWP

9. • When considering all children in Wales, the likelihood of being in relative
income poverty is much greater, and the gap is increasing for those living in
a workless household compared to living in a working household (where at
least one of the adults was in work).
• 72 per cent of children living in a workless household were in relative
income poverty compared to 21 per cent living in a working household in
2014-15 to 2016-17.
Nearly three quarters of children in workless households
were living in relative income poverty

10. For working-age adults, living with people who work
reduces the likelihood of living in relative income
poverty
• Between 2014-15 and 2016-17, working-age adults who lived in households
where no-one worked were over 7 times more likely to live in relative
income poverty than those who lived in households where everyone
worked full-time.
• However there were still an estimated 50,000 working-age adults in
relative income poverty despite living in households where everyone
worked full-time.

11. Percentage of working-age adults in each household employment
type in Wales, who were living in relative income poverty (after
housing costs), 2014-15 to 2016-17
7
10
26
34
30
54
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
All full timeCouple - one full
time, one part time
One or more self
employed
Couple - one full
time, one not
working
No full time, one or
more part time
All workless
Source: Welsh Government Analysis of HBAI, Family Resources Survey, DWP