Routes out of poverty
On 24 November 2004, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation published a
review (Routes out of poverty) by researchers at the
University of York's Social Policy Research Unit, which highlights
the key means of escape from poverty for major policy groups such as
young people, children and families, and older people.
Reviewing the evidence from a wide range of studies, the report
finds that:
- There is considerable movement in and out of poverty, although
some people remain poor for prolonged periods of time.
- Work is the most important route out of poverty but not a
guaranteed one and there is evidence of a cycle of moving from
unemployment into low-paid work and back again.
- For some people, for example severely disabled people, paid
employment is not a realistic option and increases in social
security benefits could be the most important ladder out of poverty.
- Means-tested benefits are a potential ladder out of poverty for
pensioners but a significant minority of older people fail to claim
them.
- Maintenance payments can be a ladder out of poverty and into
work if they are regular and not offset by falls in benefit.
- Success in education and training is an increasingly important
route out of poverty for young people, but there is evidence of
increasing polarisation between those who stay on and gain
qualifications and those who do not.
It concludes with a summary of important gaps in the research
evidence on routes out of poverty.
The report can be viewed on the
Joseph
Rowntree Foundation website
