Income and wealth

UK household income and wealth.

Spotlight

Median equivalised household income in the UK before taxes and benefits was £37,300, increasing to £39,700 after taxes and benefits.
The richest fifth of people's mean equivalised household income before taxes and benefits (£114,300) was 11.6 times larger than the poorest fifth (£9,800); however, this gap reduced to 3.4 times larger (£82,200 and £24,500, respectively) after taxes and benefits.
Original income inequality (before taxes and benefits) decreased by 2.9 percentage points to 47.2% since FYE 2022, while final income inequality (after taxes and benefits) decreased by only 2.1 percentage points to 27.7%, highlighting the redistributive effect of taxes and benefits decreased marginally between years.

More publications

median household disposable income in the UK was £34,500, a decrease of 2.5% from FYE 2022, based on estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Household Finances Survey (HFS)
median household disposable income for the poorest fifth of the population increased by 2.3% to £16,400, partly because of government cost of living support measures; however, this figure remains 2.4% below FYE 2020 pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic levels
median household disposable income for the richest fifth of the population decreased by 4.9% to £68,400; this is 4.3% below pre-pandemic FYE 2020 levels

More publications

Effects of taxes and benefits on household income

Average annual incomes, taxes and benefits, and household characteristics of retired and non-retired households in the UK. Data for financial years, by quintile and decile groups, country and region and tenure type.
Effects of taxes and benefits on household income: historical person-level datasets

Data on the effects of taxes and benefits on household income publication from 2001, including average incomes, taxes and benefits and household characteristics of all, retired and non-retired individuals and households in the UK by quintile and decile groups.
Nowcasting household income in the UK

Provisional estimates of income and inequality measures for financial year ending 2018, alongside historical data.
Economic well-being estimates

Full dataset of economic well-being indicators included or referenced in the quarterly release.
Equivalised disposable household income

Average equivalised disposable income for all households
Households receiving more in benefits than paid in taxes

The percentage of households in the UK who receive more in benefits (both cash benefits and benefits in kind) than they pay in taxes (both direct and indirect), from 1977 to 2012/13.

Effects of taxes and benefits on UK household income: financial year ending 2023

The redistribution effects on individuals and households of direct and indirect taxation and benefits received in cash or kind, analysed by household type.
Average household income, UK: financial year ending 2023

Estimates of average household income in the UK, with analysis of how these measures have changed over time, accounting for inflation and household composition.
Average household income, UK: financial year ending 2023

Estimates of average household income in the UK, with analysis of how these measures have changed over time, accounting for inflation and household composition.
Household income inequality, UK: financial year ending 2022

Initial insight into main estimates of household incomes and inequality in the UK, with analysis of how these measures have changed over time accounting for inflation and household composition.
Personal and economic well-being in Great Britain: May 2021

Estimates from multiple sources for personal and economic well-being to understand the economic impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on households in Great Britain from March 2020 to April 2021.
Economic well-being, UK: April to June 2018

Presents a rounded and comprehensive basis for assessing changes in economic well-being through indicators that adjust or supplement more traditional measures such as gross domestic product (GDP).

View all related statistical bulletins

Generational income: The effects of taxes and benefits

The effects of direct and indirect taxation and benefits received in cash or kind on household income, across the generations and by age.
Persistent poverty in the UK and EU

Comparisons of persistent poverty between UK and other EU countries.
Financial capability in Great Britain

This article describes the results of analysis of the financial capability measures contained in the 2010 to 2012 Wealth and Assets Survey, many of which were asked for the first time in this wave. It has been written by Andrea Finney and David Hayes of the University of Bristol’s Personal Finance Research Centre to follow the style of an Office for National Statistics statistical bulletin
Early indicator estimates from the Wealth and Assets Survey

Preliminary estimates for Great Britain from the Wealth and Assets Survey using attitudinal data not dependent on thorough checking and imputation methodology.
Family spending in the UK

Average weekly household expenditure on goods and services in the UK, by region, age, income, economic status, socio-economic class and household composition.
General Lifestyle Survey

Includes chapters on health, smoking, drinking, households, families and access to vehicles.

View all related articles

View all related methodology

Find, compare and visualise statistics about places within the United Kingdom.