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Topic 14 of 18 · Country Index 2026

United Kingdom: Poverty & Inequality

How is a country’s income shared, and how many live below a line?

United Kingdom is placed 34th of 159 countries on poverty & inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Gini Index 32.42 (2023); Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day 0.28 (2023).

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Poverty & Inequality

34th

of 159 countries placed

Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics

Country Index 2026, all topics16th of 183 →

01The evidence

The 3 key statistics that decide it

Only these place United Kingdom on poverty & inequality — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.

Why these keys

  1. Key 1 of 3

    Gini Index

    World Bank Group

    Why it is a key

    Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · United Kingdom’s is from 2021 · CC BY 4.0

    32.42

    Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)

    Lower is better

    United Kingdom: 32.42. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 23 (India) to 59.07 (Namibia); the world median is 33.72.

    World median
    33.72
    Best in Northern Europe
    26.53 Norway
    Land neighbours
    Ireland 28.97

  2. Key 2 of 3

    Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day

    World Bank Group

    Why it is a key

    Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · United Kingdom’s is from 2021 · CC BY 4.0

    0.28

    Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)

    Lower is better

    United Kingdom: 0.28. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0 (Czechia) to 48.69 (DR Congo); the world median is 0.345.

    World median
    0.345
    Best in Northern Europe
    0.06 Ireland and Iceland
    Land neighbours
    Ireland 0.06

  3. Key 3 of 3

    Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet

    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

    Why it is a key

    2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0

    2.9

    Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%)

    Lower is better

    United Kingdom: 2.9. Across the 145 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Belarus) to 93.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 26.4.

    World median
    26.4
    Best in Northern Europe
    0.9 Ireland
    Land neighbours
    Ireland 0.9

03In context

United Kingdom beside its neighbours

A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 159 countries on poverty & inequality, never a place within the region.

Northern Europe
1st159thNot placed · 65 countries with too few key statisticsNo data

The whole world on poverty & inequality

United Kingdom and the countries it borders

Standing among all 159; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.

CountryStandingGini IndexGini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)Poverty Gap at $3.00 a DayPoverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy DietShare of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%)
Ireland9th28.970.060.9
United Kingdom34th32.420.282.9

“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is

Placed either side on poverty & inequality

The countries immediately above and below United Kingdom in the topic’s list.

04Context, no vote

Where United Kingdom is ahead of the world, and behind

15 more statistics filed under poverty & inequality, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.

Every country

Ahead of the world median10

Statistics on which United Kingdom does better than the middle country measured.

  • Inequality-adjusted Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.6090.869▼ Worsened since 2013

    United Kingdom: 0.869 · world median 0.609 · IHDI (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.226 to 0.923; higher is better.

    Position 13th of 169 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.28No earlier reading

    United Kingdom: 0.28 · world median 0.446 · Correlation between own and parents' years of schooling, born 1980–89 (0–1). World Bank Group, 2017 edition, data for 2017.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.123 to 0.66; lower is better.

    Position 142nd of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2017 dataset

  • Actual Individual Consumption per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 12,80036,439No real change since 2017

    United Kingdom: 36,439 · world median 12,800 · Actual individual consumption per capita (PPP, current international $). World Bank Group, 2021 edition, data for 2021.

    Published values in that edition run from 688.7 to 52,654; higher is better.

    Position 18th of 173 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2021 dataset

  • Coefficient of Human InequalityUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 17.057.907▼ Worsened since 2013

    United Kingdom: 7.907 · world median 17.05 · Coefficient of Human Inequality (%). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 4.865 to 43.08; lower is better.

    Position 146th of 169 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food InsecurityFAO · 2024 · world median 20.97.4No real change since 2015

    United Kingdom: 7.4 · world median 20.9 · Population in moderate or severe food insecurity (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 1 to 88.8; lower is better.

    Position 109th of 135 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.21▼ Worsened since 2014

    United Kingdom: 0.21 · world median 0.25 · Coefficient of variation of habitual calorie consumption across the population (standard deviation ÷ mean). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.17 to 0.4; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Poverty Headcount at $3.00 a Day, Line-up EstimatesWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 2.10.34▼ Worsened since 2014

    United Kingdom: 0.34 · world median 2.1 · Population below $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP, World Bank line-up estimate (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 89.54; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Exclusion by Socio-Economic GroupV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2023 · world median 0.4130.219▼ Worsened since 2013

    United Kingdom: 0.219 · world median 0.413 · Exclusion by socio-economic group index (0–1; higher = more exclusion). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.014 to 0.969; lower is better.

    Position 123rd of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Low Pay RateILO · 2024 · world median 17.8916.59▲ Improved since 2014

    United Kingdom: 16.59 · world median 17.89 · Employees paid less than two-thirds of the median hourly earnings (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 3.395 to 41.69; lower is better.

    Position 45th of 71 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID)Frederick Solt, University of Iowa · 2023 · world median 3331.9▼ Worsened since 2013

    United Kingdom: 31.9 · world median 33 · Gini index of disposable household income (0–100), SWIID estimate. Frederick Solt, University of Iowa, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 22.3 to 51.2; lower is better.

    Position 44th of 79 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

Behind the world median2

Statistics on which United Kingdom does worse than the middle country measured.

  • Gini Index of Monthly EarningsILO · 2024 · world median 0.3370.342▲ Improved since 2014

    United Kingdom: 0.342 · world median 0.337 · Gini index of employees’ monthly earnings (0 = all paid the same, 1 = maximum inequality). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.182 to 0.643; lower is better.

    Position 34th of 75 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Income Growth of the Poorest 40%World Bank Group · 2024 · world median 1.8410.85▲ Improved since 2015

    United Kingdom: 0.85 · world median 1.841 · Annualized growth in real income or consumption per person of the bottom 40% (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from -4.185 to 14.51; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

No better end3

These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.

  • Poverty Headcount at National Poverty LinesWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 21.818.6No earlier reading

    United Kingdom: 18.6 · world median 21.8 · Population below the national poverty line (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 82.3.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingWorld Bank Group · 2019 · world median 6.882.274No earlier reading

    United Kingdom: 2.274 · world median 6.88 · Population in households spending more than 10% of their budget on health out of pocket (%). World Bank Group, 2019 edition, data for 2019.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.133 to 31.21.

    Chart and every countryThe 2019 dataset

  • Cost of a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 4.552.75No real change since 2017

    United Kingdom: 2.75 · world median 4.55 · Cost of the cheapest locally available healthy diet, PPP dollars per person per day. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 2.66 to 8.27.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

No current reading for United Kingdom

Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour Benefits, Gini Index (last 2021), Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Income Share Held by Lowest 20% (last 2021), Income Share Held by Richest 10% (last 2021), Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person (last 2021), Multidimensional Poverty Measure, Palma Ratio (last 2021), Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day (last 2021), Prosperity Gap (last 2021), Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Societal Poverty Rate (last 2021), Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary Completion and Working Poverty Rate. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.

“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing

05Country Index 2026

Poverty & Inequality among United Kingdom’s 15 topics

Poverty & Inequality is United Kingdom’s 10th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.

On the profile
  1. Digital & Technology6th of 198
  2. Education & Knowledge6th of 198
  3. Food & Agriculture11th of 184
  4. Mobility & Trade13th of 177
  5. Governance & Institutions18th of 194
  6. Risk & Resilience21st of 193
  7. Development & Human Capital25th of 196
  8. Economy & Innovation26th of 176
  9. Work & Labour33rd of 182
  10. Poverty & Inequality34th of 159
  11. Health & Wellbeing43rd of 200
  12. Democracy & Civil Liberties49th of 198
  13. Gender & Equality46th of 183
  14. Peace & Security60th of 177
  15. Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 115th of 186

No standing on Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.

06The top of the list

Who leads on poverty & inequality

The three countries placed highest of 159, and the leaders United Kingdom can most readily be measured against.

All 159 countries
  1. 1

    Belarus

    Eastern Europe

    1st of 159 · 3 of 3 keys

    Photo: zedlik , cropped by Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

  2. 2

    Slovenia

    Southern Europe

    2nd of 159 · 3 of 3 keys

    Photo: Z.K. derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 3.0, greyscale

  3. =3

    Ukraine

    Eastern Europe

    Joint 3rd of 159 · 2 of 3 keys

    Photo: uploaded by Chern038 · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

Placed highest nearby

  1. Highest in Europe

    Belarus1st3/3 keys

  2. Highest in Northern Europe

    Iceland8th3/3 keys

  3. This page

    United Kingdom34th3/3 keys

Positions out of 159 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.

07Questions

United Kingdom on poverty & inequality: questions answered

Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.

How does United Kingdom rank on poverty & inequality?

United Kingdom is placed 34th of 159 countries on Poverty & Inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics (Gini Index, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day and Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.

What is the latest Gini Index figure for United Kingdom?

32.42 in 2023 (gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 33.72.

What is the latest Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day figure for United Kingdom?

0.28 in 2023 (poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 0.345.

How does United Kingdom compare with Ireland on poverty & inequality?

Ireland is placed 9th of 159, and United Kingdom 34th. Gini Index: Ireland 28.97, United Kingdom 32.42; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day: Ireland 0.06, United Kingdom 0.28; Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet: Ireland 0.9, United Kingdom 2.9.

How have United Kingdom’s poverty & inequality figures changed?

Gini Index fell from 35.15 in 2002 to 32.42 in 2021; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day rose from 0.2 in 2002 to 0.28 in 2021; Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet fell from 3.7 in 2017 to 2.9 in 2025.

Which poverty & inequality statistics are missing for United Kingdom?

No current reading is published for United Kingdom on Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour Benefits, Gini Index, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Income Share Held by Lowest 20%, Income Share Held by Richest 10%, Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person, Multidimensional Poverty Measure, Palma Ratio, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day, Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day, Prosperity Gap, Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Societal Poverty Rate, Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary Completion and Working Poverty Rate. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.

08Method

Method, sources and how to cite

What this topic does not measure

These figures come from household surveys, which most countries run every few years rather than every year. So the subject's standing is read from each country's most recent survey of the last decade, with the year of every reading shown, rather than from one year in which only a minority of countries were surveyed. Two readings decide it — how unequally income is shared and how deep extreme poverty runs — because the other poverty and inequality measures here largely repeat one of those two or repeat average income, which already counts under Economy and Development. Countries with no survey in the last decade have no standing here. What work pays is under Work & Labour; wealth, as opposed to income, has no global source this site is permitted to republish.

About poverty & inequality, in full

How the Poverty & Inequality standing is decided

A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 3 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 3 keys to be placed.

The poverty & inequality method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built

The key statistics and their licences

The other 15 statistics on this page come from 6 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.

The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photographs

United Kingdom’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.

Cite this page

Nations Inquiry (2026). United Kingdom: Poverty & Inequality — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/united-kingdom/poverty

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