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Latest Information

November 2009

Local authority indicators which are used as proxies for poverty just added for period 2007-2008.

July 2009

  • New poverty figures including urban and rural areas / deprived areas and poverty among families containing disabled people just released in the Main Analyses section.
  • A new report discusses the data sources which can be used to examine the cost of living in urban and rural areas. This follows on from the income and poverty statistics users day which was held in summer 2008.

June 2009

The latest poverty figures show levels of poverty and income inequality remained fairly stable between 2004/05 and 2007/08.

April 2009

Recently released:

  • Research into the experience of poverty in rural Scotland
  • Report into feasibility of improving Scottish Household Survey income estimates by using data from the Family Resources Survey. Full report and summary available here.
  • Equivalence scales: rationales, uses and assumptions. Equivalence scales are used to adjust household income figures for the relative cost of living, or assumed standard of living of different sized households. This paper discusses some equivalence scales and the underlying assumptions of equivalisation.

Social and Welfare - Income and Poverty Statistics

Income and poverty statistics web area Money

This income and poverty statistics web area provides information about income and poverty statistics for Scotland. It includes the latest publications, a broad range of Family Resources Survey based analyses relating to income and low income in Scotland as well as performance against UK child poverty targets.

The methodology page aims to explain the terminology, definitions and methodology used and finally there are useful links for further reading such as to the Department for Work and Pensions' website for GB/UK income estimates.

Please browse through all of our pages:

Publications | Main Analyses | Methodology | Related Areas and Links | Data sources and suitability | Contacts

Measuring Poverty in Scotland: A Seminar for Users of Income and Poverty Statistics

Measuring Poverty in Scotland: A Seminar for Users of Income and Poverty Statistics

On the 11th June 2008, The Scottish Government hosted a seminar for all users of income and poverty statistics.

Event Programme

Presentations
Discussion Papers

Responses to points raised in the seminar are available here

Front page

Publications

The publication section gives brief summaries and links to pdf and html versions of income and poverty statistics publications as well as other publications that have an income and poverty statistics contribution.

This section also contains background data used in the income and poverty contribution to the High level Summary of Equalities Statistics 2006.

View Publications

Main Analyses

The 'main analyses' section aims to provide a summary of key income analysis and trends. It provides charts and explanations on the following:

  • Income Distribution Charts
  • Median Trends
  • Savings and Assets
  • Income Distribution by Source
  • All Individuals in Low Income Households
  • Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient)
  • Poverty estimates for subsections of the Scottish population

View the Main Analyses

Methodology

This section aims to explain the terminology, definitions and methodology used to calculate the official income measures. Topics covered include:

  • Sources
  • Which income is included, including before and after housing costs
  • Equivalisation
  • Measuring low income, including absolute and relative measure
  • Child poverty targets
  • Confidence Intervals surrounding key poverty estimates
  • References and further reading

View the Methodology section

Page updated: Tuesday, November 3, 2009