Income & Poverty

• STATISTICS:

  • 40% of ethnic minorities live in low-income families.
  • 60% of Pakistanis and 70% of Bangladeshis are in low-income families
  • The ethnic group that had the lowest median hourly pay in 2018 was Bangladeshi at £9.60 then it was Pakistani at £10.00
• due to the low income rates for ethnic minorities, it has been found that ethnic minorities are more likely to suffer housing deprivation with 40% of ethnic minorities living in non-decent housing (housing condition survey). This was particularly prominent with Pakistanis and Bangladeshis (Pilkington). Poor housing has been linked to several poor health factors.
• Flaherty

  • argues there is a wide variety of reasons why ethnic minorities are more likely to live in poverty including high rates of unemployment, concentration in low-paid and low-skilled jobs as well as educational disadvantages.
• Alcock adds to Flaherty's point

  • claiming that due to the fact ethnic minorities are more likely to live in poverty be unemployed etc they often also feel socially excluded from society
• Which sociologists give explanations for the reason ethnic inequalities exist within income & poverty?

  1. Pilkington - poor housing linked to poor health (leading to inability to work)
  2. Flaherty - live in poverty because they are more likely to be unemployed or poorly paid or don't have British education
  3. Alcock - socially excluded