5.2.2

Factors Affecting Poverty

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Factors Affecting Poverty

Ethnic minorities, women and children are most at risk of poverty.

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Ethnicity and poverty

  • People in UK households headed by someone from a minority ethnic group are particularly at risk of living in low-income households.
  • Minority ethnic groups, for example, are generally disadvantaged in terms of unemployment, pay and the quality of their jobs.
  • Explanations for this include racism and discrimination in the labour market.
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Gender and poverty

  • Women are more at risk of poverty than men.
  • Women have longer life expectancies than men but are less likely to have occupational pensions.
  • Women are more likely than men to head lone-parent families with low incomes.
  • Many female-dominated jobs are relatively poorly paid.
  • Women are more likely than men to be in part-time employment.
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Child poverty

  • Children are particularly vulnerable to poverty if they live in a family:
    • With four or more children.
    • Where the head of the household is a lone parent.
    • Where the head of the household is from a minority ethnic group.
    • Where the head of the household is workless.
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Life chances

  • Poverty has a negative impact on children’s life chances including their life expectancy, health, housing, educational attainment and job prospects.

Jump to other topics

1The Sociological Approach

2Families

3Education

4Crime & Deviance

5Social Stratification

6Sociological Research Methods

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