IJPDS International Journal of Population Data Science

When we talk about poverty, most people think of income – how much money a household earns. But poverty is about more than paychecks. It’s also about whether families can afford the basics needed for a decent life: warm clothes, healthy food, holidays, or safe places for children to play.

A new study, published in The International Journal of Population Data Science (IJPDS), explores how UK families experience these challenges, and why current measures may not tell the full story.

Traditionally, the government divides families into two groups – “deprived” or “not deprived” – based on whether they can afford certain items. But this yes-or-no approach overlooks the wide range of struggles families face.

Researchers analysed survey data from over 5,000 UK families with children. Instead of a simple yes/no split, patterns in the data showed five distinct groups, each experiencing deprivation in different ways.

Some families manage the basics but miss out on activities or holidays, leaving children excluded from experiences their peers take for granted. In other cases, parents sacrifice their own needs to make sure their children don’t go without. At the most severe end, some families struggle to provide even essentials like heating or a winter coat.

Lead author Ana Nicoriciu explains: “Families don’t just fall neatly into ‘poor’ or ‘not poor.’ Our findings show that deprivation is complex, and we need measures that reflect that reality if we want to design fairer and more effective support.”

The study also looked at families raising children with disabilities. These families were more likely to face hardship, but the overall patterns of deprivation were similar – suggesting the new, multi-layered approach can be applied across groups.

The research shows why a one-size-fits-all measure of poverty misses important nuances. Policies based on only a simple yes/no measure risk underestimating how many families struggle, and overlooking the ways poverty affects everyday life.

The study is a reminder that poverty is not just about having too little money – it’s also about the difficult choices families must make, and the loss of freedom that comes with being unable to afford what society considers essential. Recognising these realities could help shape better measures of poverty and ensure support reaches those who need it most.

 

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Ana Nicoriciu, Department of Social Statistics, Manchester University, UK

Nicoriciu, A. M. and Elliot, M. J. (2025) “Material deprivation in the UK: beyond the binary”, International Journal of Population Data Science, 10(1). doi: 10.23889/ijpds.v10i1.2463.