Abstract
This report summarises evidence from a nationally representative survey on poverty stigma among adults in Wales.
The survey covered two forms of poverty stigma: received stigma and perceived structural stigma. Received stigma refers to individuals’ personal experiences of being negatively judged, excluded, or treated unfairly because they live on a low income. Perceived structural stigma refers to individuals’ beliefs that people living on low incomes are treated unfairly by public services, decision makers and institutions such as the media.
Approximately one in four (24%) adults in Wales reported that they experienced some form of received stigma “sometimes,” “often” or “always” in the past 12 months. This figure rises to more than one in three (35%) adults with annual household incomes under £20,000.
The most common type of received stigma amongst respondents with household incomes below £20,000 was “people making negative assumptions about me because I don’t have much money,” reported by 26% of respondents as happening “sometimes,” “often” or “always”.
Younger people, benefits recipients, people who rent their home and people with disabilities reported higher levels of received stigma. People experiencing food insecurity reported three times as much received stigma than those who are not.
Almost nine out of ten (87%) adults in Wales believe that at least one type of structural stigma occurs “sometimes,” “often” or “always” in the UK.
The most commonly reported type of perceived structural stigma amongst respondents with a household income below £20,000 was “Politicians looking down on people who live on low incomes,” which 79% of respondents believed happens “sometimes,” “often” or “always”.
Perceived structural stigma did not vary by household income, and many people who perceive structural poverty stigma are not themselves in poverty or at risk of poverty. This strongly suggests that poverty stigma is a structural issue in Wales and the UK.
Perceived structural stigma was higher amongst younger people, benefits recipients, people with disabilities and people experiencing food insecurity.
The survey covered two forms of poverty stigma: received stigma and perceived structural stigma. Received stigma refers to individuals’ personal experiences of being negatively judged, excluded, or treated unfairly because they live on a low income. Perceived structural stigma refers to individuals’ beliefs that people living on low incomes are treated unfairly by public services, decision makers and institutions such as the media.
Approximately one in four (24%) adults in Wales reported that they experienced some form of received stigma “sometimes,” “often” or “always” in the past 12 months. This figure rises to more than one in three (35%) adults with annual household incomes under £20,000.
The most common type of received stigma amongst respondents with household incomes below £20,000 was “people making negative assumptions about me because I don’t have much money,” reported by 26% of respondents as happening “sometimes,” “often” or “always”.
Younger people, benefits recipients, people who rent their home and people with disabilities reported higher levels of received stigma. People experiencing food insecurity reported three times as much received stigma than those who are not.
Almost nine out of ten (87%) adults in Wales believe that at least one type of structural stigma occurs “sometimes,” “often” or “always” in the UK.
The most commonly reported type of perceived structural stigma amongst respondents with a household income below £20,000 was “Politicians looking down on people who live on low incomes,” which 79% of respondents believed happens “sometimes,” “often” or “always”.
Perceived structural stigma did not vary by household income, and many people who perceive structural poverty stigma are not themselves in poverty or at risk of poverty. This strongly suggests that poverty stigma is a structural issue in Wales and the UK.
Perceived structural stigma was higher amongst younger people, benefits recipients, people with disabilities and people experiencing food insecurity.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Wales Centre for Public Policy |
| Commissioning body | Wales Centre for Public Policy |
| Number of pages | 31 |
| Publication status | Published - 14 Aug 2024 |
