UK – 70% moved out of poverty by getting a job ONS finds

Entering employment is widely thought to be the most effective route out of poverty, a view supported by a range of research. But does getting a job always lead to people leaving poverty?

Our new analysis shows that between 2007 and 2012, of those aged 18 to 59 who were in income poverty, but then entered employment, 70% moved out of poverty. The other 30% remained in poverty, despite entering employment.

How does this compare with other countries?

Similar analysis published by the European Commission suggests that across most EU countries, the chances of leaving poverty when taking up a job are lower than in the UK. In 2009, for the EU overall, just half (49%) of people left poverty when entering employment (Figure 1). Poverty exit rates varied considerably across countries, with just 23% and 35% of people leaving poverty when finding employment in Romania and Bulgaria respectively.

Figure 1: Poverty exit rates for people moving into employment for the EU (2009) and UK (2007 to 2009 and 2010 to 2012), ages 18 to 59

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at How effective is getting a job in helping people leave poverty? – ONS.