What are the consequences of poverty?
- Living in poverty has major consequences for a person's health.
- There are clear links between poverty and a lack of success in education.
- There are clear links between poverty and crime.
Poor health
One measure of the consequences of poverty is the impact poverty has on life expectancy – the age to which people are expected to live. In 2023, National Records for Scotland reported that in Glasgow City, one of Scotland’s most deprived council areas, life expectancy for males was 72.9 years and for females 78.2 years in years 2020-22. This compares with East Renfrewshire council area, one of Scotland’s most affluent council areas, where life expectancy was 79.0 years for males and 84.0 years for females in years 2020-22.
In terms of illness, in another report released by National Records for Scotland, in 2022 it was found that those people living in the poorest areas spend about one-third of their lives in poor health, compared people in the least deprived areas, who only spend around only 15% of their in poor health.
Low birth weight is another indicator of poverty in society. Children with a low birth weight are more likely to develop health-related problems later in life. Studies from the Glasgow Centre for Population Health note that a higher proportion of babies born to mothers from more deprived areas have a lower birth weight, compared to those born in more well-off areas.
Smoking and alcohol
Having a long life expectancy and good health are not only affected by poverty. Lifestyle choices also affect health. In 2011, the Scottish Government reported that among the least deprived people in Scotland, only around 5% smoked. However, among the most deprived around 24% smoked.
For alcohol, National Records for Scotland reported in 2021 that alcohol-related deaths were 4.3 times more common in the most deprived areas of Scotland, compared to the least deprived areas.
Education and crime
Living in poverty also affects a child’s chances of achieving in school. For example, as growing up in poverty affects good health, children from the most deprived areas are more likely to miss school which harms their progress in education. In 2021/22, the Scottish Government reported that in S3, 93.6% of pupils from the least deprived areas in Scotland achieved Third Level or better in literacy by the end of S3, compared to only 77.3% in the most deprived areas in Scotland. For numeracy, the figures for children achieving Third Level or better by the end of S3 were 95.9% for the least deprived areas, compared to only 80.9% in the most deprived areas in 2021/22.
There is also a clear link between poverty and crime. There is evidence to show poverty is one on the main causes of crime as those with a low income turn to crime to get what they need. In 2021/22, Scottish Government statistics showed that 31% of the people arriving into prison were from the 10% most deprived areas in Scotland.
