Consistent Poverty Rates

What is Consistent Poverty?

The term consistent poverty describes someone whose income is below the relative/at risk of poverty threshold (individual income of 12,455 per annum), and who cannot afford at least two of the eleven deprivation indicators. The 11 deprivation indicators are:

Two pairs of strong shoes
A warm waterproof overcoat
Buy new not second hand clothes
Eat meat, chicken, fish or a vegetarian equivalent every second day
Have a roast joint or its equivalent once a week
Had to go without heating during the last year through lack of money
Keep the home adequately warm
Buy presents for family or friends at least once a year
Replace any worn out furniture
Have family or friends for a drink or meal once a month
Have a morning, afternoon or evening out in the last fortnight for entertainment.

Consistent Poverty in Ireland

The percentage of Irish people living in consistent poverty in 2008 was 4.2%.
The consistent poverty rate for the unemployed in 2008 was 9.7%.
The consistent poverty rate for at work/retired people was 1.1%.
Children remain the most vulnerable group with 6.3% (about 63,000) living in consistent poverty.
Nearly one in five (17.8%) lone parent households were in consistent poverty in 2008.

Poverty and Socio-Demographic Characteristics

Household composition and socio-demographic characteristics have a very signigicant influence on the risk of poverty. While overall poverty rates are decreasing (and have been for many years) there is considerable variation in the at risk of poverty rate for different types of individuals and households. The Central Statistics Office has devised a series of indicators that are considered significant in determining whether a person was in consistent poverty in 2008 (cso 2008).

The chart below (cso 2008) shows consistent poverty rates by age of the individual. The chart clearly shows that while consistent poverty rates are declining, they remain relatively high for children and young people.

The chart below (cso 2008) shows the regional spread of consistent poverty in Ireland. It is clear from the chart that while consistent poverty is quite low in the Mid-East Region and in Dublin, the Midlands has an above average level of consistent poverty.