"To be and to feel economically secure is to live with dignity, to be able to seize opportunities and to have a sense of hope for the future. That requires sufficient and predictable resources, of income and wealth, in relation to the costs and burdens of life. But it also rests on secure work and a secure home, on education, on good health, and on support and time for caring. It is sustained by relationships of family, friends and community." — Graeme Cooke, Director of Insight and Policy, JRF.

This is the Economic Insecurity spotlight page for West Lancashire.

Population claiming Universal Credit or Jobseeker's Allowance

Proportion of the population living in fuel poverty

Poverty index

This map shows the result of creating a poverty index for economic insecurity by combining a number of leading indicators of poverty into a single number in the range 0 to 1. A score closer to 0 means that the model is suggesting lower levels of economic insecurity in this area.

1 - Very High
0.75 - High
0.5 - Average
0.25 - Low
0 - Very Low
Ashurst 0.485Aughton and Downholland 0.485Aughton Park 0.485Birch Green 0.485Burscough East 0.485Burscough West 0.485Derby 0.485Digmoor 0.485Halsall 0.485Hesketh-with-Becconsall 0.485Knowsley 0.485Moorside 0.485North Meols 0.485Parbold 0.485Rufford 0.485Scarisbrick 0.485Scott 0.485Skelmersdale North 0.485Skelmersdale South 0.485Tanhouse 0.485Tarleton 0.485Up Holland 0.485Wrightington 0.485Bickerstaffe 0.485Newburgh 0.485

How to interpret the index

In the context of this model, a value closer to 1 indicates that a given place tends to rank higher relative to other places in metrics that we have identified as contributing to economic insecurity. This does not necessarily mean that you are more likely to experience poverty in those places, however.

How we calculate the index

The highest and lowest values will score 1 and 0, respectively, and everything else will fall somewhere in between. We create an average index across 6 metrics

This is a proof of concept. You can see the code and read more about the logic to create these stats here.

Key indicators

The following analysis reflects the experience across the population of West Lancashire.

Rates of unemployment and economic inactivity over time

What's on this chart?

This chart shows labour market statistics for West Lancashire.

Dataset

Labour market economic activity
Unemployment rate
Economic inactivity rate
YearJun 2005Jun 2008Jun 2011Jun 2014Jun 2017Jun 2020Jun 2023% of population01015202530355Unemployment rate 2004-12-01: 5.4Unemployment rate 2005-03-01: 5.4Unemployment rate 2005-06-01: 4.4Unemployment rate 2005-09-01: 4.8Unemployment rate 2005-12-01: 4.2Unemployment rate 2006-03-01: 2.3Unemployment rate 2006-06-01: 2.6Unemployment rate 2006-09-01: 5Unemployment rate 2006-12-01: 3.7Unemployment rate 2007-03-01: 4.5Unemployment rate 2007-06-01: 5.3Unemployment rate 2007-09-01: 0Unemployment rate 2007-12-01: 2.4Unemployment rate 2008-03-01: 2.3Unemployment rate 2008-06-01: 2.8Unemployment rate 2008-09-01: 4.7Unemployment rate 2008-12-01: 5.2Unemployment rate 2009-03-01: 9Unemployment rate 2009-06-01: 11.7Unemployment rate 2009-09-01: 10.9Unemployment rate 2009-12-01: 11.6Unemployment rate 2010-03-01: 10.1Unemployment rate 2010-06-01: 7.3Unemployment rate 2010-09-01: 5.8Unemployment rate 2010-12-01: 4.5Unemployment rate 2011-03-01: 3.3Unemployment rate 2011-06-01: 3Unemployment rate 2011-09-01: 4.6Unemployment rate 2011-12-01: 6.3Unemployment rate 2012-03-01: 8.2Unemployment rate 2012-06-01: 9.7Unemployment rate 2012-09-01: 9.5Unemployment rate 2012-12-01: 9.2Unemployment rate 2013-03-01: 6.9Unemployment rate 2013-06-01: 5.9Unemployment rate 2013-09-01: 3.7Unemployment rate 2013-12-01: 3.2Unemployment rate 2014-03-01: 6.8Unemployment rate 2014-06-01: 5.9Unemployment rate 2014-09-01: 6Unemployment rate 2014-12-01: 6.9Unemployment rate 2015-03-01: 5.1Unemployment rate 2015-06-01: 6.6Unemployment rate 2015-09-01: 7.3Unemployment rate 2015-12-01: 4.4Unemployment rate 2016-03-01: 0Unemployment rate 2016-06-01: 0Unemployment rate 2016-09-01: 0Unemployment rate 2016-12-01: 0Unemployment rate 2017-03-01: 4.1Unemployment rate 2017-06-01: 4.4Unemployment rate 2017-09-01: 5.8Unemployment rate 2017-12-01: 4Unemployment rate 2018-03-01: 0Unemployment rate 2018-06-01: 5.1Unemployment rate 2018-09-01: 7.2Unemployment rate 2018-12-01: 8.8Unemployment rate 2019-03-01: 7.9Unemployment rate 2019-06-01: 7.1Unemployment rate 2019-09-01: 4Unemployment rate 2019-12-01: 3.3Unemployment rate 2020-03-01: 3Unemployment rate 2020-06-01: 4.6Unemployment rate 2020-09-01: 5.4Unemployment rate 2020-12-01: 7.6Unemployment rate 2021-03-01: 6.9Unemployment rate 2021-06-01: 5.5Unemployment rate 2021-09-01: 5Unemployment rate 2021-12-01: 3.1Unemployment rate 2022-03-01: 0Unemployment rate 2022-06-01: 0Unemployment rate 2022-09-01: 0Unemployment rate 2022-12-01: 6.3Unemployment rate 2023-03-01: 9Unemployment rate 2023-06-01: 8.4Economic inactivity rate 2004-12-01: 23.9Economic inactivity rate 2005-03-01: 23.5Economic inactivity rate 2005-06-01: 23.4Economic inactivity rate 2005-09-01: 24.4Economic inactivity rate 2005-12-01: 23.3Economic inactivity rate 2006-03-01: 23.1Economic inactivity rate 2006-06-01: 26Economic inactivity rate 2006-09-01: 26.2Economic inactivity rate 2006-12-01: 28.2Economic inactivity rate 2007-03-01: 26.4Economic inactivity rate 2007-06-01: 25.9Economic inactivity rate 2007-09-01: 25.9Economic inactivity rate 2007-12-01: 25.1Economic inactivity rate 2008-03-01: 22.9Economic inactivity rate 2008-06-01: 20.9Economic inactivity rate 2008-09-01: 21.9Economic inactivity rate 2008-12-01: 20.5Economic inactivity rate 2009-03-01: 21.6Economic inactivity rate 2009-06-01: 21.7Economic inactivity rate 2009-09-01: 19Economic inactivity rate 2009-12-01: 21.9Economic inactivity rate 2010-03-01: 23.3Economic inactivity rate 2010-06-01: 22.4Economic inactivity rate 2010-09-01: 20.9Economic inactivity rate 2010-12-01: 20.2Economic inactivity rate 2011-03-01: 18.1Economic inactivity rate 2011-06-01: 21.7Economic inactivity rate 2011-09-01: 24.5Economic inactivity rate 2011-12-01: 22Economic inactivity rate 2012-03-01: 24Economic inactivity rate 2012-06-01: 21.5Economic inactivity rate 2012-09-01: 20.7Economic inactivity rate 2012-12-01: 21.8Economic inactivity rate 2013-03-01: 21.9Economic inactivity rate 2013-06-01: 22.4Economic inactivity rate 2013-09-01: 20.7Economic inactivity rate 2013-12-01: 23.6Economic inactivity rate 2014-03-01: 26.5Economic inactivity rate 2014-06-01: 27.8Economic inactivity rate 2014-09-01: 29Economic inactivity rate 2014-12-01: 25.2Economic inactivity rate 2015-03-01: 24.7Economic inactivity rate 2015-06-01: 24.4Economic inactivity rate 2015-09-01: 28.5Economic inactivity rate 2015-12-01: 29.5Economic inactivity rate 2016-03-01: 26.2Economic inactivity rate 2016-06-01: 27.7Economic inactivity rate 2016-09-01: 26.2Economic inactivity rate 2016-12-01: 28.5Economic inactivity rate 2017-03-01: 28.9Economic inactivity rate 2017-06-01: 25.7Economic inactivity rate 2017-09-01: 24.9Economic inactivity rate 2017-12-01: 31.8Economic inactivity rate 2018-03-01: 33.7Economic inactivity rate 2018-06-01: 27.9Economic inactivity rate 2018-09-01: 27Economic inactivity rate 2018-12-01: 23.4Economic inactivity rate 2019-03-01: 24.7Economic inactivity rate 2019-06-01: 30.9Economic inactivity rate 2019-09-01: 31.8Economic inactivity rate 2019-12-01: 30Economic inactivity rate 2020-03-01: 27.3Economic inactivity rate 2020-06-01: 26.5Economic inactivity rate 2020-09-01: 23.2Economic inactivity rate 2020-12-01: 24.4Economic inactivity rate 2021-03-01: 23.6Economic inactivity rate 2021-06-01: 22.6Economic inactivity rate 2021-09-01: 21Economic inactivity rate 2021-12-01: 20.4Economic inactivity rate 2022-03-01: 26.8Economic inactivity rate 2022-06-01: 26.4Economic inactivity rate 2022-09-01: 30.5Economic inactivity rate 2022-12-01: 27Economic inactivity rate 2023-03-01: 25.3Economic inactivity rate 2023-06-01: 21.2

Fuel poverty rate by geography

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the percentage of households in fuel poverty across the different areas in West Lancashire. In West Lancashire 6492 of 49532 households are in fuel poverty.

Dataset

Fuel Poverty
44% (highest)
23.5%
3% (lowest)
Ashurst 8.7% of households are fuel poorAughton and Downholland 11.9% of households are fuel poorAughton Park 8.7% of households are fuel poorBirch Green 14.9% of households are fuel poorBurscough East 8.6% of households are fuel poorBurscough West 12.0% of households are fuel poorDerby 16.3% of households are fuel poorDigmoor 17.2% of households are fuel poorHalsall 15.8% of households are fuel poorHesketh-with-Becconsall 12.9% of households are fuel poorKnowsley 11.5% of households are fuel poorMoorside 17.4% of households are fuel poorNorth Meols 14.6% of households are fuel poorParbold 11.3% of households are fuel poorRufford 10.3% of households are fuel poorScarisbrick 15.7% of households are fuel poorScott 13.7% of households are fuel poorSkelmersdale North 13.5% of households are fuel poorSkelmersdale South 15.0% of households are fuel poorTanhouse 13.5% of households are fuel poorTarleton 12.4% of households are fuel poorUp Holland 11.2% of households are fuel poorWrightington 12.5% of households are fuel poorBickerstaffe 18.3% of households are fuel poorNewburgh 14.7% of households are fuel poor

Median weekly wage by geography

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the median weekly wage for different areas in West Lancashire.

Dataset

Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings Weekly Earnings
£463 (lowest)
£563.5
£664 (highest)

Percentage of people in low income households by their savings and investments

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the poverty rates by the savings and investments of adults in the family in West Lancashire. The threshold for low income poverty is households below 60% of median net household income (after housing costs) in latest prices.

Dataset

HBAI by savings and investments

No data available at this level

Percentage of jobs below living wage by gender and hours

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the percentage of jobs that are paid below living wage in West Lancashire. Percentages can add to more than 100 as "All sexes" includes those already counted in "Men" and "Women".

Dataset

Jobs below living wage
All (%)
Female (%)
Male (%)
Percentage of jobs below living wage020Part-TimeFull-TimeAllAll (%) All: 12.6All (%) Full-Time: 0All (%) Part-Time: 0Female (%) All: 0Female (%) Full-Time: 0Female (%) Part-Time: 0Male (%) All: 0Male (%) Full-Time: 0Male (%) Part-Time: 0

Demographic breakdown

Poverty can disproportionately affect certain groups. This section presents analysis of Economic Insecurity with a focus on demographics.

Gender pay gap in different types of work

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the gender pay gap as a percentage differenece in West Lancashire.


Gender pay gap (GPG) is calculated as the difference between average hourly earnings (excluding overtime) of men and women as a proportion of average hourly earnings (excluding overtime) of men. For example, a 4% GPG denotes that women earn 4% less, on average, than men. Conversely, a -4% GPG denotes that women earn 4% more, on average, than men.

Dataset

Gender pay gap
Median gap (%)
Mean gap (%)
012151821369Part-TimeFull-TimeAllMedian gap (%) All: 12.4Median gap (%) Full-Time: 13.9Median gap (%) Part-Time: 0Mean gap (%) All: 18.8Mean gap (%) Full-Time: 18.8Mean gap (%) Part-Time: 0

People in low income households by ethnic group

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the poverty rates by ethnic group in West Lancashire. The threshold for low income poverty is households below 60% of median net household income (after housing costs) in latest prices.

These statistics have been three-year averaged and rounded according to the guidance on statXplore. This method helps smooth erratic series and so give more robust estimates as the FRS sample size and coverage issues mean that single year results broken down below the level of UK region are unlikely to be reliable.

Dataset

HBAI by ethnic group

No data available at this level

People in low income households by marital status

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the poverty rates by marital/cohabiting status in West Lancashire. The threshold for low income poverty is households below 60% of median net household income (after housing costs) in latest prices.

These statistics have been three-year averaged and rounded according to the guidance on statXplore.

Dataset

No data available at this level

See also the briefing by JRF for Economic security.