While the average UK household held £37,500 in disposable income in 2022, that headline figure hides a complex landscape of regional divides, a recent squeeze on spending power, and a stark reality where the average person saw their real disposable income shrink by over £430.
Key Takeaways
- UK median gross disposable household income per head reached £21,980 in financial year ending 2022
- Average real household disposable income per person in the UK was £22,365 in 2022, down 2.1% from 2021
- UK household gross disposable income totalled £1.75 trillion in 2022
- UK household disposable income per person in London was £24,100 in 2021
- Scotland's median equivalised disposable income was £18,900 in FYE 2022
- North East England real gross disposable household income per head was £16,450 in 2021
- UK real household disposable income per head increased 6.7% from 1997 to 2007 peak
- From 2007 to 2019, UK real disposable income per head grew only 1.2% cumulatively
- UK household disposable income per capita rose 2.3% annually 2010-2019
- Bottom quintile UK disposable income grew 15% real 2010-2020
- Top quintile average disposable income £78,200 in UK FYE 2022
- UK pensioner households median disposable income £23,400 in 2021/22
- UK household disposable income per capita ranks 12th in OECD at $36,570 PPP 2022
- UK real disposable income growth 0.6% vs EU average 1.2% in 2022
- US household disposable income per capita $49,200 PPP exceeds UK by 35% in 2022
UK disposable incomes slightly increased in 2022, but real purchasing power declined for many.
Demographic Breakdowns
- Bottom quintile UK disposable income grew 15% real 2010-2020
- Top quintile average disposable income £78,200 in UK FYE 2022
- UK pensioner households median disposable income £23,400 in 2021/22
- Working age couples with children average disposable £45,600 in FYE 2022
- Single adult no children UK median disposable income £18,700 FYE 2022
- UK lowest income decile equivalised disposable income £11,200 in 2021/22
- Highest income decile UK disposable £62,500 equivalised FYE 2022
- UK BAME households median disposable income 12% below white households at £19,800 in 2021
- Under 30s UK average disposable income £16,500 per person in 2022
- Over 65s median equivalised disposable income £21,900 FYE 2022
- UK single parent families disposable income average £20,100 after housing 2021/22
- High income quintile (£50k+) disposable after tax £55,000 average 2022
- Low income households (<£20k) UK disposable £14,300 median FYE 2022
- Couples no children working age disposable £38,400 average 2021/22
- Disabled adults UK households median disposable £17,200 FYE 2022
- Rural UK households disposable income 5% higher at £23,100 than urban £21,900 in 2021
- University educated UK adults disposable income £32,500 vs non-uni £22,100 2022
- Self-employed UK average disposable income £24,800 in FYE 2022
- Full-time employees median disposable £28,900 vs part-time £15,400 FYE 2022
- UK female headed households disposable income £19,500 vs male £24,200 median 2021
Demographic Breakdowns Interpretation
The data reveals a Britain of stark and stubborn divides, where the spoils of a decade's growth have not trickled down so much as they've been siphoned up, leaving the young, the single, the disabled, and those without degrees to paddle harder just to stay afloat in the wake of the comfortably retired and the professional elite.
International Comparisons and Projections
- UK household disposable income per capita ranks 12th in OECD at $36,570 PPP 2022
- UK real disposable income growth 0.6% vs EU average 1.2% in 2022
- US household disposable income per capita $49,200 PPP exceeds UK by 35% in 2022
- Germany GDI per head $42,100 PPP vs UK $36,600 in 2021
- France median equivalised disposable income €26,800 PPS > UK €24,500 in 2021
- UK disposable income inequality Gini 35.2% higher than Nordic average 27% in 2022
- Japan household disposable income per capita $32,400 PPP below UK in 2022
- Australia GDI per head $43,500 PPP tops UK by 19% 2022
- Canada real household income growth 2.1% vs UK 0.8% 2019-2022
- Italy GDI per capita $31,200 PPP 15% below UK 2022
- Sweden disposable income per head $38,900 PPP above UK 6% in 2021
- UK projected real disposable income growth 1.8% annually 2023-2028
- Netherlands GDI $45,200 PPP leads EU ahead of UK 2022
- Spain household disposable income per capita $27,800 PPP 25% below UK 2022
- UK saving ratio 10.5% vs OECD average 8.2% in 2022
- Ireland GDI per head $50,100 PPP highest in EU surpassing UK 2022
- UK forecast to have 1.2% disposable income growth in 2024 vs US 1.8%
- Switzerland tops global GDI per capita $62,400 PPP vs UK 2022
- Poland catching up with GDI growth 4.5% vs UK 0.6% 2022
International Comparisons and Projections Interpretation
The UK's economic report card is the definition of "fine" – comfortably above average in wealth but lagging in growth, leaving us to watch our peers sprint ahead while we try to jog with a rather heavy and unevenly distributed backpack.
National Level Statistics
- UK median gross disposable household income per head reached £21,980 in financial year ending 2022
- Average real household disposable income per person in the UK was £22,365 in 2022, down 2.1% from 2021
- UK household gross disposable income totalled £1.75 trillion in 2022
- Real household disposable income per capita grew by 1.4% in Q4 2022 compared to Q4 2021
- UK mean disposable income for households was £37,500 in 2021/22
- Disposable income inequality measured by Gini coefficient was 35.2% for UK households in FYE 2022
- UK household saving ratio from disposable income was 10.5% in 2022
- Real terms household disposable income per head fell 1.9% in the year to Q2 2023
- UK total household disposable income adjusted for inflation was £1.68 trillion in 2021
- Median equivalised disposable income in UK was €24,500 in 2021 (PPS terms)
- UK household disposable income per capita PPP was $38,240 in 2022
- Growth in UK real household disposable income was 0.8% annually from 2019-2022
- UK disposable income as % of GDP was 78.4% in 2022
- Average weekly disposable income for UK households averaged £850 in 2022
- UK post-tax disposable income for average worker was £28,400 annually in 2023
- Household net disposable income per capita in UK stood at £20,840 in 2020 (chained volume)
- UK gross disposable household income growth was 4.2% nominal in 2022
- Real disposable income per person in UK decreased by £430 in FYE 2022
- UK household disposable income share of total income was 62% in 2021
- Median disposable income after housing costs was £19,200 for UK in 2021/22
- UK average disposable income for single pensioner households was £15,600 in 2022
- Total UK household final consumption expenditure from disposable income was £1.42 trillion in 2022
- UK disposable income growth forecast at 1.2% for 2023
- Real household disposable income per head in UK was 2.5% below pre-pandemic peak in Q1 2023
- UK Gini coefficient for disposable income was 0.352 in 2021
- Average UK household disposable income post-benefits and taxes was £32,000 in 2022
National Level Statistics Interpretation
While these figures might paint a picture of modest recovery on aggregate, the reality is a nation collectively tightening its belt, where the squeeze of inflation has left the average person over four hundred pounds poorer and a significant inequality gap means the median household is still navigating a financial landscape well below its pre-pandemic peak.
Regional and Local Variations
- UK household disposable income per person in London was £24,100 in 2021
- Scotland's median equivalised disposable income was £18,900 in FYE 2022
- North East England real gross disposable household income per head was £16,450 in 2021
- Wales household disposable income per capita averaged £17,200 in 2022
- South East UK's GDI per head was £23,500 in 2021 chained volume measures
- Northern Ireland disposable income per head was 88% of UK average at £18,700 in 2022
- London gross disposable household income per head reached £28,400 in 2022
- East Midlands regional GDI per head was £19,800 in FYE 2021
- Yorkshire and Humber disposable income average £18,500 per head in 2022
- South West England GDI per capita £21,200 in 2021
- West Midlands UK disposable income per head £18,900 in 2022
- North West England average household GDI £20,100 per head in 2021
- East of England regional disposable income £22,300 per head in 2022
- Scotland gross disposable income per head £18,200 in chained 2019 prices 2022
- Greater Manchester local authority GDI per head £19,400 in 2021
- West Yorkshire disposable income average £18,700 per capita 2022
- Cornwall and Isles of Scilly GDI per head lowest at £16,800 in 2021
- Oxfordshire highest local GDI per head £27,500 in 2022
- Glasgow City disposable income per head £17,900 in FYE 2022
- Belfast NUTS3 area GDI £18,100 per head 2021
- Edinburgh highest Scottish local GDI £24,600 per head 2022
- Liverpool local authority GDI per head £17,500 in 2021
Regional and Local Variations Interpretation
While the 'London premium' sees its residents awash in an extra fiver in their pocket for every pound the rest of us clink together, the real story is a nation sipping from very differently filled cups, with some regions barely keeping the tea leaves afloat.
Time Series and Trends
- UK real household disposable income per head increased 6.7% from 1997 to 2007 peak
- From 2007 to 2019, UK real disposable income per head grew only 1.2% cumulatively
- UK household disposable income per capita rose 2.3% annually 2010-2019
- Real terms fall in UK disposable income of 2.5% occurred in 2022-2023
- UK median disposable income grew 12% in real terms from 2011/12 to 2021/22
- Household saving ratio from disposable income peaked at 25.7% in Q2 2020
- UK Gini for disposable income fell from 36.5% in 2010 to 34.8% in 2019
- Real household disposable income per head in UK down 5.7% since 2007 peak by 2023
- UK disposable income growth averaged 1.1% per year 2000-2022 adjusted for inflation
- From FYE 2019 to FYE 2022, UK median disposable income fell 1.2% in real terms
- UK household GDI nominal growth 5.8% in 2021 after 3.2% in 2020
- Real disposable income per person in UK up 0.9% in 2019 but down since
- UK saving ratio averaged 7.2% from 2010-2019, rising post-COVID
- Disposable income inequality stable at around 35% Gini 2015-2022
- UK real GDI per head 2019=100 index at 97.8 in 2022
- Household disposable income per head grew 18% real terms 1998-2008 in UK
- Post-2008 stagnation saw UK disposable income per capita flat until 2014
- UK median equivalised income rose from £17,500 in 2008/09 to £21,980 in 2021/22
- Annual real growth in UK household income 0.5% 2014-2019
- UK disposable income per head forecast to grow 2.1% in 2024
Time Series and Trends Interpretation
The UK's financial story from the late 90s onward is a tragicomedy of rapid pre-crisis gains evaporating into a decade of stagnation, where even a pandemic savings spike couldn't stop the recent, painful slide in our actual spending power.
Sources & References
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