"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 Bolton.

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
Astley Bridge 0.531Bradshaw 0.531Breightmet 0.531Bromley Cross 0.531Crompton 0.531Farnworth 0.531Great Lever 0.531Halliwell 0.531Harper Green 0.531Heaton and Lostock 0.531Horwich and Blackrod 0.531Horwich North East 0.531Hulton 0.531Kearsley 0.531Little Lever and Darcy Lever 0.531Rumworth 0.531Smithills 0.531Tonge with the Haulgh 0.531Westhoughton North and Chew Moor 0.531Westhoughton South 0.531

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 Bolton.

Rates of unemployment and economic inactivity over time

What's on this chart?

This chart shows labour market statistics for Bolton.

Dataset

Labour market economic activity
Unemployment rate
Economic inactivity rate
YearJun 2005Jun 2008Jun 2011Jun 2014Jun 2017Jun 2020Jun 2023% of population01015202530355Unemployment rate 2004-12-01: 3.9Unemployment rate 2005-03-01: 3.6Unemployment rate 2005-06-01: 4.1Unemployment rate 2005-09-01: 4.5Unemployment rate 2005-12-01: 5.7Unemployment rate 2006-03-01: 5.8Unemployment rate 2006-06-01: 5.5Unemployment rate 2006-09-01: 5.3Unemployment rate 2006-12-01: 4.7Unemployment rate 2007-03-01: 5.3Unemployment rate 2007-06-01: 5.5Unemployment rate 2007-09-01: 5.6Unemployment rate 2007-12-01: 5.4Unemployment rate 2008-03-01: 5.8Unemployment rate 2008-06-01: 5.5Unemployment rate 2008-09-01: 6.7Unemployment rate 2008-12-01: 7.9Unemployment rate 2009-03-01: 7.6Unemployment rate 2009-06-01: 7.5Unemployment rate 2009-09-01: 8Unemployment rate 2009-12-01: 8.3Unemployment rate 2010-03-01: 10.3Unemployment rate 2010-06-01: 10.4Unemployment rate 2010-09-01: 10Unemployment rate 2010-12-01: 9.2Unemployment rate 2011-03-01: 7.2Unemployment rate 2011-06-01: 7.5Unemployment rate 2011-09-01: 7.7Unemployment rate 2011-12-01: 9.1Unemployment rate 2012-03-01: 9.7Unemployment rate 2012-06-01: 10.1Unemployment rate 2012-09-01: 9.8Unemployment rate 2012-12-01: 8.8Unemployment rate 2013-03-01: 9.5Unemployment rate 2013-06-01: 9.1Unemployment rate 2013-09-01: 10.4Unemployment rate 2013-12-01: 10.6Unemployment rate 2014-03-01: 9.4Unemployment rate 2014-06-01: 9.1Unemployment rate 2014-09-01: 7.3Unemployment rate 2014-12-01: 6.1Unemployment rate 2015-03-01: 6.4Unemployment rate 2015-06-01: 6.2Unemployment rate 2015-09-01: 6.7Unemployment rate 2015-12-01: 7Unemployment rate 2016-03-01: 6.7Unemployment rate 2016-06-01: 6.6Unemployment rate 2016-09-01: 6Unemployment rate 2016-12-01: 6Unemployment rate 2017-03-01: 4.9Unemployment rate 2017-06-01: 5.3Unemployment rate 2017-09-01: 5.2Unemployment rate 2017-12-01: 5.5Unemployment rate 2018-03-01: 6.6Unemployment rate 2018-06-01: 6.2Unemployment rate 2018-09-01: 5.8Unemployment rate 2018-12-01: 5.1Unemployment rate 2019-03-01: 4.5Unemployment rate 2019-06-01: 5.6Unemployment rate 2019-09-01: 5.9Unemployment rate 2019-12-01: 7.5Unemployment rate 2020-03-01: 8.4Unemployment rate 2020-06-01: 6.6Unemployment rate 2020-09-01: 6.9Unemployment rate 2020-12-01: 4.8Unemployment rate 2021-03-01: 3.7Unemployment rate 2021-06-01: 3.1Unemployment rate 2021-09-01: 2.9Unemployment rate 2021-12-01: 2.7Unemployment rate 2022-03-01: 4.6Unemployment rate 2022-06-01: 4.1Unemployment rate 2022-09-01: 5.6Unemployment rate 2022-12-01: 6Unemployment rate 2023-03-01: 4.3Unemployment rate 2023-06-01: 6.3Economic inactivity rate 2004-12-01: 24.1Economic inactivity rate 2005-03-01: 23.5Economic inactivity rate 2005-06-01: 24Economic inactivity rate 2005-09-01: 24.7Economic inactivity rate 2005-12-01: 26.4Economic inactivity rate 2006-03-01: 26.8Economic inactivity rate 2006-06-01: 27.7Economic inactivity rate 2006-09-01: 27.5Economic inactivity rate 2006-12-01: 26.3Economic inactivity rate 2007-03-01: 26.1Economic inactivity rate 2007-06-01: 25Economic inactivity rate 2007-09-01: 24.3Economic inactivity rate 2007-12-01: 24.9Economic inactivity rate 2008-03-01: 24.9Economic inactivity rate 2008-06-01: 24.6Economic inactivity rate 2008-09-01: 25.4Economic inactivity rate 2008-12-01: 25.4Economic inactivity rate 2009-03-01: 25.1Economic inactivity rate 2009-06-01: 25.1Economic inactivity rate 2009-09-01: 24.3Economic inactivity rate 2009-12-01: 23.8Economic inactivity rate 2010-03-01: 26.1Economic inactivity rate 2010-06-01: 26.4Economic inactivity rate 2010-09-01: 27Economic inactivity rate 2010-12-01: 28.6Economic inactivity rate 2011-03-01: 29.5Economic inactivity rate 2011-06-01: 29.2Economic inactivity rate 2011-09-01: 27.4Economic inactivity rate 2011-12-01: 26.4Economic inactivity rate 2012-03-01: 25.9Economic inactivity rate 2012-06-01: 26.3Economic inactivity rate 2012-09-01: 27.3Economic inactivity rate 2012-12-01: 27.9Economic inactivity rate 2013-03-01: 27.1Economic inactivity rate 2013-06-01: 27Economic inactivity rate 2013-09-01: 26.6Economic inactivity rate 2013-12-01: 26Economic inactivity rate 2014-03-01: 26.3Economic inactivity rate 2014-06-01: 25.6Economic inactivity rate 2014-09-01: 25.6Economic inactivity rate 2014-12-01: 27.4Economic inactivity rate 2015-03-01: 26.1Economic inactivity rate 2015-06-01: 25.3Economic inactivity rate 2015-09-01: 25.1Economic inactivity rate 2015-12-01: 24.3Economic inactivity rate 2016-03-01: 25.1Economic inactivity rate 2016-06-01: 25.4Economic inactivity rate 2016-09-01: 26.4Economic inactivity rate 2016-12-01: 24.3Economic inactivity rate 2017-03-01: 23.1Economic inactivity rate 2017-06-01: 25.2Economic inactivity rate 2017-09-01: 24.6Economic inactivity rate 2017-12-01: 25.1Economic inactivity rate 2018-03-01: 25.4Economic inactivity rate 2018-06-01: 25.5Economic inactivity rate 2018-09-01: 24.9Economic inactivity rate 2018-12-01: 26.5Economic inactivity rate 2019-03-01: 26.1Economic inactivity rate 2019-06-01: 24.7Economic inactivity rate 2019-09-01: 25.9Economic inactivity rate 2019-12-01: 25.5Economic inactivity rate 2020-03-01: 27.4Economic inactivity rate 2020-06-01: 26.7Economic inactivity rate 2020-09-01: 27.8Economic inactivity rate 2020-12-01: 27.7Economic inactivity rate 2021-03-01: 29.5Economic inactivity rate 2021-06-01: 31.1Economic inactivity rate 2021-09-01: 30Economic inactivity rate 2021-12-01: 29.6Economic inactivity rate 2022-03-01: 28.9Economic inactivity rate 2022-06-01: 28.1Economic inactivity rate 2022-09-01: 26.8Economic inactivity rate 2022-12-01: 26.2Economic inactivity rate 2023-03-01: 27.9Economic inactivity rate 2023-06-01: 27.2

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 Bolton. In Bolton 18718 of 121321 households are in fuel poverty.

Dataset

Fuel Poverty
44% (highest)
23.5%
3% (lowest)
Astley Bridge 12.4% of households are fuel poorBradshaw 10.8% of households are fuel poorBreightmet 14.0% of households are fuel poorBromley Cross 9.2% of households are fuel poorCrompton 22.5% of households are fuel poorFarnworth 20.5% of households are fuel poorGreat Lever 22.0% of households are fuel poorHalliwell 22.5% of households are fuel poorHarper Green 16.0% of households are fuel poorHeaton and Lostock 8.8% of households are fuel poorHorwich and Blackrod 13.1% of households are fuel poorHorwich North East 11.7% of households are fuel poorHulton 16.0% of households are fuel poorKearsley 13.0% of households are fuel poorLittle Lever and Darcy Lever 10.8% of households are fuel poorRumworth 28.1% of households are fuel poorSmithills 15.1% of households are fuel poorTonge with the Haulgh 20.8% of households are fuel poorWesthoughton North and Chew Moor 9.2% of households are fuel poorWesthoughton South 9.2% 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 Bolton.

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 Bolton. 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 Bolton. 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 wage02040Part-TimeFull-TimeAllAll (%) All: 13.8All (%) Full-Time: 9All (%) Part-Time: 25.4Female (%) All: 14.5Female (%) Full-Time: 0Female (%) Part-Time: 21.3Male (%) All: 13.2Male (%) 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 Bolton.


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 (%)
-301215369Part-TimeFull-TimeAllMedian gap (%) All: 2.2Median gap (%) Full-Time: 2.6Median gap (%) Part-Time: -1.6Mean gap (%) All: 12.1Mean gap (%) Full-Time: 12.9Mean 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 Bolton. 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 Bolton. 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.