From Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2022-25 published today

Around 17% of Scotland’s population were living in relative poverty after housing costs. https://www.gov.scot/publications/poverty-and-income-inequality-in-scotland-2022-25/

For England, the equivalent figure was 22%, 29.4% higher than in Scotland: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn07096/

Why is this?

Fewer adults (typically working-age adults) in Scotland live in relative poverty (after housing costs, AHC) than in England primarily due to a combination of lower average housing costs and targeted devolved social security policies that provide extra income support, especially for low-income families. These factors help more Scottish households stay above the relative poverty threshold (below 60% of the UK contemporary median income, after deducting housing costs).

Sources for the above claims:

1. https://fraserofallander.org/how-do-poverty-rates-in-scotland-compare-with-the-rest-of-the-uk/
2. https://scothealthequity.org/comparing-poverty-rates-in-scotland-and-the-rest-of-the-uk/
3. https://leftfootforward.org/2025/07/scotland-has-had-lower-poverty-rates-than-uk-for-two-decades-analysis-shows/
4. https://scothealthequity.org/comparing-poverty-rates-in-scotland-and-the-rest-of-the-uk/

In summary, cheaper housing (especially social housing) reduces the “hit” to disposable income in Scotland, while extra devolved benefits (like the Scottish Child Payment) provide a direct income boost that helps more adults and their households avoid relative poverty.