NI's Lowest Earning Households Left With Less Than £19 Per Week

Northern Ireland's lowest earning households now have less than £19 per week to spend after their bills and living expenses.

According to the latest Northern Ireland Household Expenditure Tracker the lowest earning households have seen their discretionary income fall by almost half (47.2%) over the last year – from £35.25 to £18.63.

Published on a quarterly basis, the report tracks the changes to income and expenditure for the lowest earning households in Northern Ireland.

The Household Expenditure Tracker reveals that in Q4 2022 (October, November and December), Northern Ireland's lowest earning households:

• saw their weekly income after tax rise by only £3 (1.3%);

• experienced weekly spending on basic goods increase by £5.18 (2.4%);

• spent 54% of their total basic spending on rent, energy, food and transport; and

• saw their discretionary income fall for the 7th consecutive quarter since January 2021 leaving these households with less than £19 per week to live on (£18.63).

Anne-Marie Murphy, Director of Strategy & Emerging Markets at the Consumer Council, said: "Between October to December 2022, the lowest earning households in Northern Ireland continued to be disproportionately impacted by changes in inflation, interest rates and the cost of living.

"With each publication of our NI Household Expenditure Tracker, we continue to see a decline in discretionary income for Northern Ireland's lowest earning households. What they have left to spend has dropped by another 10% this quarter at a time when essentials like food were increasing. These hardest hit households were the only income group to see a drop in their spending power.

"For those who are struggling to pay their bills, we have a variety of help, support and advice to help consumers understand ways to save money, shop around, and what options are available."