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3 Apr 2008 : Column 1330W—continued

Table 2: Number of owner-occupied households by equivalised income decile and region/country, after housing costs (3-year average, 2003-04 to 2005-06)
m illion
Region/country	Bottom decile	Second decile	Third decile	Fourth decile	Fifth decile	Sixth decile	Seventh decile	Eighth decile	Ninth decile	Top decile	All owner-occupied households
England	0.9	0.9	1.2	1.3	1.5	1.5	1.7	1.8	2	2.2	14.9
North East	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.7
North West	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.2	2.1
Yorkshire and Humber	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	1.5
East Midlands	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.1	1.3
West Midlands	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	1.6
East of England	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3	1.7
London	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.5	1.9
South East	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.4	0.5	2.5
South West	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	1.6
Wales	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.9
Scotland	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	1.5
Northern Ireland	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.5
UK	1.1	1.0	1.4	1.6	1.8	1.9	2.0	2.1	2.3	2.5	17.8
Notes: 1. Averages based on three survey years are given because the sample sizes for individual regions for single years are too small to produce robust annual estimates. 2. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the DWP publication ‘Households Below Average Income’ (HBAI) series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or “equivalised”) for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 3. The figures are based on OECD equivalisation factors. 4. The national median income of the survey year in question has been used (i.e. the contemporary median) instead of using a fixed median for a particular year. This is consistent with the preferred way of measuring poverty. 5. Owner-occupied households are defined as households that are either owned outright or are being bought with a mortgage. 6. Figures are given in millions rounded to the nearest 100,000 households. Some figures may not sum due to rounding. Source: Family Resources Survey 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06

3 Apr 2008 : Column 1331W

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the number of owner-occupier households earning below 60 per cent. of median income (a) who are working and (b) who are unemployed in each region; and what his estimate is of the number of owner-occupiers earning below 40 per cent. of median income (i) who are working and (ii) who are unemployed in each region. [196545]

Mr. Iain Wright: I have been asked to reply.

The most common and internationally recognised threshold to measure poverty is income below 60 per cent. of median. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) does not present information covering 40 per cent. of median income in our Households Below Average Income series as it is not a sound measure of poverty. This is because households stating the lowest incomes to the Family Resources Survey may not actually have the lowest living standards.

Specific information regarding low income for the United Kingdom is available in “Households Below Average Income 1994-95 to 2005-06”, published by the DWP. This annual report, which is a National Statistics publication, includes the number and proportion of individuals, children, working age adults and pensioners with incomes below 50 per cent., 60 per cent. and 70 per cent. of median income, and the proportion in persistent poverty.

The available information, derived from the DWP’s “Family Resources Survey” (FRS), is given in the following tables. However, it should be noted with regards to the information in the tables that robust estimates are not available for each individual region for owner-occupied households below 40 per cent. of contemporary median income because of small samples.

Although the question asks for the number of owner-occupied households who are unemployed, the tables show the number of workless households—the reason for this is given in note 7.

The question does not specify whether the basis for income should be before or after housing costs have been deducted—so both sets of figures have been given.

3 Apr 2008 : Column 1332W

Table la: Number of working and workless owner-occupied households with less than 60 per cent. of contemporary median household income before housing costs, by region or country, three year averages, 2003-04 to 2005-06
m illion
Region/country	Working owner-occupied households	Workless owner-occupied households	All owner-occupied households
England	0.8	1.4	2.2
North East	0.0	0.1	0.1
North West	0.1	0.2	0.3
Yorkshire and Humber	0.1	0.1	0.2
East Midlands	0.1	0.1	0.2
West Midlands	0.1	0.2	0.3
East of England	0.1	0.1	0.2
London	0.1	0.2	0.3
South East	0.1	0.2	0.3
South West	0.1	0.2	0.2
Wales	0.1	0.1	0.2
Scotland	0.1	0.1	0.2
Northern Ireland	0.0	0.1	0.1
UK	1.0	1.7	2.7

Table 1b : Number of working and workless owner-occupied households with less than 60 per cent. of contempor ary median household income after housing costs, by region or country, three year averages, 2003-04 to 2005-06
m illion
Region/country	Working owner-occupied households	Workless owner-occupied households	All owner-occupied households
England	0.9	1.0	1.9
North East	0.0	0.0	0.1
North West	0.1	0.2	0.3
Yorkshire and Humber	0.1	0.1	0.2
East Midlands	0.1	0.1	0.2
West Midlands	0.1	0.1	0.2
East of England	0.1	0.1	0.2
London	0.1	0.1	0.3
South East	0.1	0.1	0.3
South West	0.1	0.1	0.2
Wales	0.1	0.1	0.1
Scotland	0.1	0.1	0.2
Northern Ireland	0.0	0.0	0.1
UK	1.1	1.2	2.3

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