Below 50 per cent of median net household income (AHC) and in child material deprivation

Field: Below 50 per cent of median net household income (AHC) and in child material deprivation

Description

Below 50 per cent of median net household income (AHC) and in child material deprivation, as reported by FRS respondents, where:

a child is defined as an individual aged under 16 or aged 16-19 and dependant (see Type of Individual by Age Category for more information).
a child is considered to be below the threshold if they live in a family that has an equivalised net household income below 50 per cent of median income, After Housing Costs (see 50 per cent of median net household income (AHC) in latest prices for more information) and in child material deprivation (see below).

Material deprivation is a direct measure of poverty from the lack of items deemed to be necessary for a minimum acceptable standard of living. Further information can be found in the HBAI Quality and Methodology Information Report which accompanies the latest release.

Classification

Applicable to: Children.

Not in combined low income and child material deprivation
In combined low income and child material deprivation
Not applicable (not in a family with children)
Not available (before 2004/05).

Number of categories: 4

Quality Statement

Questions about four additional material deprivation items for children were introduced into the 2010/11 FRS and from 2011/12 four questions from the original suite were removed. Figures from the 2004/05 and 2010/11 suite of questions are not comparable. While the HBAI publication tables provide estimates for the 2004/05 and 2010/11 questions, the HBAI Stat-Xplore database only provides estimates based on the 2010/11 questions.

Updated 2023/24 questions for material deprivation items for children, working-age adults and pensioners were introduced into the 2023/24 FRS and asked to 75% of households. The remaining 25% of households were asked the old questions (2010/11 questions for children and working-age adults and 2009/10 questions for pensioners). To provide responses and reasons for households asked the old questions for the updated measure, imputation included using responses and reasons where old questions were similar. Estimates using the old questions and old methodology and 2023/24 questions and updated methodology are not comparable. Further information can be found in the Technical report: update to measures using material deprivation for households below average income FYE 2024, which accompanies the release of the HBAI 2023/24 statistics.

Before 2023/24, a child was considered to be in child material deprivation if the final child material deprivation score was 25 or more. From 2023/24, using a simple count approach, a child is considered to be in child material deprivation if they lack 4 or more items.

For the 2021/22 data, all estimates of material deprivation, including when combined with low income measures, are not strictly comparable with previous years. Several of the questions asked as part of the material deprivation measure were affected by government restrictions introduced in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Although the impact on survey responses was less marked than last year, restrictions remained in place throughout the first quarter of the survey year and the effect the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic had on social interactions continued to unwind during the remainder of the survey year as restrictions were removed and society began returning to normal. Changes in recorded material deprivation for 2021/22 may not fully reflect the real change in household circumstances compared to the pre-pandemic period. Further details can be found in the technical report which accompanies the release of the 2021/22 statistics.

All estimates of material deprivation for 2022/23 should only be directly compared with periods up to and including 2019/20. During 2020/21 (not included in this dataset) and 2021/22, several of the questions asked as part of the material deprivation measure were affected by government restrictions introduced in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Further details can be found in the technical report which accompanies the annual release of these statistics.

Further information can be found in the HBAI Quality and Methodology Report here.