What is Poverty?

Help, advice and support for practitioners working in the Early Years sector.

Poverty affects millions of people in the UK every year (Francis-Devine, 2021). The effects poverty can have on an individual also differ depending on the individual's circumstances. O'Leary (2019) states "poverty is a temporary experience for some and a long-term situation for others" (nd), further implying that poverty figures should not be fixated upon as they only provide a snapshot in time. Everyone who is defined as living in poverty isnot the same, therefore, defining poverty has resulted in many different variations. World Vision (2021) simply describes poverty as lacking sufficient resources to meet an individual's basic needs. The basic needs of healthy food, clean water, shelter, suitable clothing and adequate sleep. Poverty, therefore, is not the same as having a low income, it is about having an income that below what is needed to survive and thrive (O'Leary, 2019). There are two types of poverty, relative and absolute. The video 'What is Poverty?' created by ECPUK for this website explains in a simplistic way how our income determines our level of poverty or affluence as recognised by the UK government.

The poverty cycle.

The poverty cycle is a never-ending cycle of poverty and deprivation that passes down from generation to generation. With children being born into poverty, this impacts their educational development. With a lack of qualifications and sufficient skills, the individual will struggle to secure work, especially a well-paid job that will bring them above the poverty line. As such, the poverty cycle has not been broken. This will cause the individual, if they chose, to have children, and they will grow up in poverty. However, it is possible for an individual to break the poverty cycle. Although the Child Poverty Action Group (2021a) demonstrate how it is possible for families to move out of poverty, there is a high chance if the family lived in poverty for an extended period of time they may return to an impoverished state again. "The UK has a high rate of entries into and exits from poverty" (Child Poverty Action Group, 2021a)