20% Children Living In Poverty

About 20% of children in Northern Ireland were classified as living in poverty in 2012-2013, according to the Northern Ireland Poverty Bulletin published today by the Department for Social Development.

There were approximately 89,000 children in 'relative poverty' before housing costs and 96,000 children in 'absolute poverty' before housing costs, the report said. This represents a 1% and 3% decrease from the previous year respectively.

About 190,000 working-age adults (18%) were recorded as living in 'relative poverty' before housing costs and almost 209,000 working-age adults (20%) were living in 'absolute poverty' before housing costs, the report revealed.

In 2012-2013 approximately 58,000 pensioners (20%) were in 'relative poverty' before housing costs and approximately 63,000 pensioners (21%) were in 'absolute poverty' before housing costs.

Overall, the level of relative poverty in Northern Ireland has dropped between 2011-2012 and 2012-2013. The overall long term trend has remained fairly stable, the report said, with about one fifth of the population in relative poverty in any given year.

The average household income in Northern Ireland was £395 per week before housing costs and £358 after housing costs in 2012-13.

Average income remained comparatively low over the period from 2002-2003, with 2011-2012 being the only year that recorded lower levels of income.

(IT/MH)