Households below a minimum income standard: 2008/9 to 2010/11

In the first two years after the economic downturn, the risk of having inadequate income rose for some, but not all, groups.

This study is the first in an annual series of reports monitoring how many people live in households with not enough income to afford a ‘minimum acceptable standard of living’. This research looks at changes in the adequacy of household incomes in the early part of the recession, as measured by households’ ability to reach the Minimum Income Standard (MIS).

• looks at changes in the adequacy of household incomes in the early part of the recession;
• identifies trends for different groups;
• analyses those below the Minimum Income Standard (MIS), looking at:
  • the probability of falling below MIS for individuals and households,
  • the profile of who falls below MIS and below half MIS, and
  • particular groups’ profiles and their overall distribution of income relative to MIS.