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Average household income, UK: financial year ending 2021
What's in the bulletin?
- Median household disposable income in the UK was £31,400 in financial year ending (FYE) 2021, which covered the first year of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; this was an annual increase of 2%, based on estimates from the Office for National Statistics' (ONS) Household Finances Survey.
- Mean disposable income showed a small reduction of 0.6%, a consequence of a moderate fall at the bottom of the income distribution, relative stability across the middle, and a small fall at the top of the distribution.
- There was a small reduction of 0.6% in mean disposable income, a consequence of a moderate fall at the bottom of the income distribution, relative stability across the middle, and a small fall at the top of the distribution.
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Household income inequality, UK: financial year ending 2021
What's in the bulletin?
- Disposable income inequality fell slightly to 34.4% in the financial year ending (FYE) 2021 from 35.4% in FYE 2020; however, this difference was not statistically significant, and disposable income inequality remained broadly in line with the average over the decade prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
- Original income (before direct taxes and cash benefits) has fallen from 51.7% to 48.6% over the last decade (FYE 2012 to FYE 2021); this reflects greater equality in earnings over this period, partially offset by a fall in the effectiveness of cash benefits at reducing income inequality.
- Disposable income inequality for people in retired households remained stable at 30.8%, changing only 0.1 percentage points from FYE 2020 to 2021; income inequality of retired households remains at near historical highs, although remains consistently lower than non-retired households (34.4% for FYE 2021).
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Datasets related to Income and wealth
Effects of taxes and benefits on household income
Average annual incomes, taxes and benefits, and household characteristics of retired and non-retired households in the UK. Data for financial years, by quintile and decile groups, country and region and tenure type.
Nowcasting household income in the UK
Provisional estimates of income and inequality measures for financial year ending 2018, alongside historical data.
Economic well-being estimates
Full dataset of economic well-being indicators included or referenced in the quarterly release.
Equivalised disposable household income
Average equivalised disposable income for all households
Households receiving more in benefits than paid in taxes
The percentage of households in the UK who receive more in benefits (both cash benefits and benefits in kind) than they pay in taxes (both direct and indirect), from 1977 to 2012/13.
Coronavirus and the social impacts on different ethnic groups in the UK
Estimates from the Understanding Society: COVID-19 Study, 2020, UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) and Wealth and Assets Survey (WAS) to explore the social impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on people from different ethnic groups in the UK.
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Publications related to Income and wealth
Statistical bulletins
Economic well-being, UK: April to June 2018
Presents a rounded and comprehensive basis for assessing changes in economic well-being through indicators that adjust or supplement more traditional measures such as gross domestic product (GDP).
Effects of taxes and benefits on UK household income: financial year ending 2022
The redistribution effects of individuals and households of direct and indirect taxation and benefits received in cash or kind, analysed by household type.
Average household income, UK: financial year ending 2022
Final estimates of average household income in the UK, with analysis of how these measures have changed over time, accounting for inflation and household composition.
Personal and economic well-being in Great Britain: May 2021
Estimates from multiple sources for personal and economic well-being to understand the economic impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on households in Great Britain from March 2020 to April 2021.
Effects of taxes and benefits on UK household income: financial year ending 2022
The redistribution effects of individuals and households of direct and indirect taxation and benefits received in cash or kind, analysed by household type.
Average household income, UK: financial year ending 2022
Final estimates of average household income in the UK, with analysis of how these measures have changed over time, accounting for inflation and household composition.
View all related statistical bulletins
Articles
Generational income: The effects of taxes and benefits
The effects of direct and indirect taxation and benefits received in cash or kind on household income, across the generations and by age.
Persistent poverty in the UK and EU
Comparisons of persistent poverty between UK and other EU countries.
Financial capability in Great Britain
This article describes the results of analysis of the financial capability measures contained in the 2010 to 2012 Wealth and Assets Survey, many of which were asked for the first time in this wave. It has been written by Andrea Finney and David Hayes of the University of Bristol’s Personal Finance Research Centre to follow the style of an Office for National Statistics statistical bulletin
Early indicator estimates from the Wealth and Assets Survey
Preliminary estimates for Great Britain from the Wealth and Assets Survey using attitudinal data not dependent on thorough checking and imputation methodology.
Family spending in the UK
Average weekly household expenditure on goods and services in the UK, by region, age, income, economic status, socio-economic class and household composition.
General Lifestyle Survey
Includes chapters on health, smoking, drinking, households, families and access to vehicles.
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Methodology related to Income and wealth
- Income and earnings statistics guide
View all related methodology
Get facts and figures for an area
Includes population, identity, housing, people in or out of work, education and health.
