Children in low income families: local area statistics
Annual Official Statistics on the number and proportion of children living in low income families.
Following the successful completion of discovery work and a period of user engagement, the next release of these Official Statistics (March 2025) will calibrate figures to HBAI single-year UK estimates (not regional estimates) and impute receipt of Scottish Child Payments for eligible households so it is included as an income stream. Consequently, there will be revisions to the back-series at UK, regional and local area level. Alongside this, we plan to publish a paper on proposals for developing After Housing Costs measures of local area child poverty statistics and will be seeking users’ views. Comments and feedback from users are welcome by emailing [email protected].
For both Relative and Absolute measures, before Housing Costs, these annual statistics include counts of children by:
- geography, including by:
- local authority
- Westminster parliamentary constituency
- Ward
- Middle Super Output Area
- year (2014 to 2023)
- age of child
- gender of child
- family type
- work status of the family
Continued impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on statistics
The statistics are calibrated to the regional Households Below Average Income (HBAI) statistics. A full assessment of the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on these statistics is available in the HBAI technical report which should be considered alongside interpretation of these statistics.
While the data has undergone extensive quality assurance prior to publication, we recommend that users exercise additional caution when using the data for FYE 2021, 2022 and 2023, particularly when making comparisons with previous years and when comparing local areas across countries. Read the background information note for further information, including detail on uses and limitations of the series.
Explore the statistics with our interactive tool
Find further breakdowns of these statistics on Stat-Xplore, an online tool for exploring some of DWP’s main statistics.
Future releases and developments
Find future release dates in the statistics release calendar and more about DWP statistics on the Statistics at DWP page.
Future developments to DWP official statistics and any changes to statistical methodology are outlined in the statistical work programme.
Tell us what you think
Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to. You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards.
Email [email protected] with feedback and queries about the statistics.
Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing [email protected] or via the OSR website.
Latest release
Previous release
Background information and methodology
We’ve published our policies and procedures for DWP statistics in the interests of transparency and to comply with the UK Statistics Authority code of practice.
Related publications
Estimates of numbers in low income in a single year from Households Below Average Income are available.
Other related DWP statistics include:
The following ONS publications provide useful information and guidance on alternative sources of data on earnings and income:
Indices of multiple deprivation by country are available:
Details of other National and Official Statistics produced by the Department for Work and Pensions can be found on the DWP statistics homepage with a schedule of statistical releases over the next 12 months and a list of the most recent releases.
In accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics, all DWP National Statistics are announced in the government statistics calendar.
Updates to this page
Published 26 March 2020Last updated 13 December 2024 + show all updates
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Update on methodology for these Official Statistics.
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The 'call to action' box has been updated to reflect the review of the methodology underpinning the Official Statistics.
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Added a link to the annual release of Children in low income families: local area statistics (data for 2014 to 2023).
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Added a link to the annual release of Children in low income families: local area statistics (data for 2014 to 2022).
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Added a link to the annual release of Children in low income families: local area statistics (data for 2014 to 2021).
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Added a link to the annual release of Children in low income families: local area statistics (data for 2014 to 2020).
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First published.