Tackling poverty across all ethnicities in the UK

This publication summarises the main findings from research commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation into the links between poverty and ethnicity, suggesting how poverty may be tackled across all ethnicities in the UK.

Poverty and ethnicity are strongly related, with poverty higher among all ethnic minority groups than among white British people in the UK, but the links are complex and not well understood. Poverty varies according to many factors, including age, gender, disability and geography.

This round up draws together the key points in understanding the impact of ethnicity on poverty, and draws to a close JRF’s first phase of research into this subject.

The research found that:

• Racism and discrimination are major factors limiting opportunities for people from ethnic minority groups;
• Local and national government, and service providers involved in employment, education and care must effectively monitor outcomes according to ethnicity; and
• ‘Low wage traps’ affect ethic minority workers particularly badly.