Factors which are seen as contributing to the increase in poverty in recent years:
1. Many of the groups most vulnerable have grown larger. As people live longer there are more elderly. As more people divorce there are more lone parent families; and there are more unemployed people. All these groups have many individuals who are dependent on welfare.
2. Poverty is also increasing among those who do not depend on welfare, such as families dependent on a low wage earner. The difference in earnings between those in well paid secure jobs and those in low paid often insecure jobs has widened since 1979.
3. The incomes of the poor have not kept up with the majority. Child Poverty Action Group claim that the income of the poorest tenth of the population fell by 6% in real terms between 1979 and 1988/9, while the average income rose by 30%.
4. Benefits have fallen behind both prices and average earnings.
Groups as likely to be poor: 1. The unemployed - official statistics estimate 2.9 million at the end of 1992. 2. Low wage earners (below two thirds of median male earnings) - according to the Low Pay Unit 36% of workforce in 1979, but 41% in 1989. 3. Families - people with children tend to be worse off than childless couples. Real value of child benefit has declined. Family Credit only has a 40% take up rate. According to Family Expenditure 1990 the average income of the poorest 25% of the single population was £155 a week, while for the poorest 25% of lone parents it averaged £74 a week. 4. Disabled - disproportionately represented among those with low incomes. 5. Old people - In 1988 those over pension age numbered 18% of the population, of which two thirds were women
Class and poverty
Most poor people are working class. Peter Townsend notes that most low paid, unemployed, elderly, sick and disabled poor, hold or have held unskilled or