For Richer or Poorer

Poverty

In the UK, women are more likely to experience persistent poverty. The Fawcett Society says that:

• more than one fifth of women (22%), have a persistently low income, compared to 14% of men
• living in persistent poverty means that women don’t have the opportunity to build up savings to fall back on. For older women this effect has an even bigger impact
• over half of all lone parent households are poor
• women live longer than men

For both men and women, unemployment can be another major route into persistent poverty. However, the ‘working poor’ contains a high proportion of women who have the twin disadvantages of lower earning power and caring responsibilities.

• If you had a magic wand, what three wishes would you grant to solve the problem of persistent poverty?