"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 Wigan.

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
Abram 0.415Ashton 0.415Aspull New Springs Whelley 0.415Astley Mosley Common 0.415Atherleigh 0.415Atherton 0.415Bryn 0.415Douglas 0.415Golborne and Lowton West 0.415Hindley 0.415Hindley Green 0.415Ince 0.415Leigh East 0.415Leigh South 0.415Leigh West 0.415Lowton East 0.415Orrell 0.415Pemberton 0.415Shevington with Lower Ground 0.415Standish with Langtree 0.415Tyldesley 0.415Wigan Central 0.415Wigan West 0.415Winstanley 0.415Worsley Mesnes 0.415

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 Wigan.

Rates of unemployment and economic inactivity over time

What's on this chart?

This chart shows labour market statistics for Wigan.

Dataset

Labour market economic activity
Unemployment rate
Economic inactivity rate
YearJun 2005Jun 2008Jun 2011Jun 2014Jun 2017Jun 2020Jun 2023% of population010152025305Unemployment rate 2004-12-01: 4.8Unemployment rate 2005-03-01: 5.3Unemployment rate 2005-06-01: 5.7Unemployment rate 2005-09-01: 5.1Unemployment rate 2005-12-01: 4.8Unemployment rate 2006-03-01: 4.2Unemployment rate 2006-06-01: 4.8Unemployment rate 2006-09-01: 4.8Unemployment rate 2006-12-01: 5.2Unemployment rate 2007-03-01: 5.2Unemployment rate 2007-06-01: 5.3Unemployment rate 2007-09-01: 6.3Unemployment rate 2007-12-01: 6.5Unemployment rate 2008-03-01: 6.6Unemployment rate 2008-06-01: 6.4Unemployment rate 2008-09-01: 5.5Unemployment rate 2008-12-01: 5.2Unemployment rate 2009-03-01: 5.6Unemployment rate 2009-06-01: 6.7Unemployment rate 2009-09-01: 8.3Unemployment rate 2009-12-01: 8.8Unemployment rate 2010-03-01: 9Unemployment rate 2010-06-01: 7.9Unemployment rate 2010-09-01: 7.2Unemployment rate 2010-12-01: 7.5Unemployment rate 2011-03-01: 6.9Unemployment rate 2011-06-01: 7.2Unemployment rate 2011-09-01: 7.3Unemployment rate 2011-12-01: 7.7Unemployment rate 2012-03-01: 9.1Unemployment rate 2012-06-01: 9.2Unemployment rate 2012-09-01: 8.4Unemployment rate 2012-12-01: 9.2Unemployment rate 2013-03-01: 9Unemployment rate 2013-06-01: 8.6Unemployment rate 2013-09-01: 9.5Unemployment rate 2013-12-01: 9.4Unemployment rate 2014-03-01: 9Unemployment rate 2014-06-01: 9.5Unemployment rate 2014-09-01: 8.4Unemployment rate 2014-12-01: 7.4Unemployment rate 2015-03-01: 6.3Unemployment rate 2015-06-01: 5.7Unemployment rate 2015-09-01: 5.2Unemployment rate 2015-12-01: 5.2Unemployment rate 2016-03-01: 4.5Unemployment rate 2016-06-01: 4.9Unemployment rate 2016-09-01: 5.1Unemployment rate 2016-12-01: 4.9Unemployment rate 2017-03-01: 4.5Unemployment rate 2017-06-01: 4Unemployment rate 2017-09-01: 3.6Unemployment rate 2017-12-01: 2.9Unemployment rate 2018-03-01: 3.5Unemployment rate 2018-06-01: 3.7Unemployment rate 2018-09-01: 3.8Unemployment rate 2018-12-01: 3.8Unemployment rate 2019-03-01: 3.5Unemployment rate 2019-06-01: 2.9Unemployment rate 2019-09-01: 2.5Unemployment rate 2019-12-01: 2.9Unemployment rate 2020-03-01: 3.6Unemployment rate 2020-06-01: 4.1Unemployment rate 2020-09-01: 4.2Unemployment rate 2020-12-01: 4.3Unemployment rate 2021-03-01: 3.7Unemployment rate 2021-06-01: 3.4Unemployment rate 2021-09-01: 4.3Unemployment rate 2021-12-01: 3.5Unemployment rate 2022-03-01: 4.4Unemployment rate 2022-06-01: 4.6Unemployment rate 2022-09-01: 4Unemployment rate 2022-12-01: 5.9Unemployment rate 2023-03-01: 4.7Unemployment rate 2023-06-01: 4.4Economic inactivity rate 2004-12-01: 23.4Economic inactivity rate 2005-03-01: 22.9Economic inactivity rate 2005-06-01: 23Economic inactivity rate 2005-09-01: 25.2Economic inactivity rate 2005-12-01: 24.9Economic inactivity rate 2006-03-01: 27.2Economic inactivity rate 2006-06-01: 27.2Economic inactivity rate 2006-09-01: 25.3Economic inactivity rate 2006-12-01: 25.8Economic inactivity rate 2007-03-01: 25.4Economic inactivity rate 2007-06-01: 26Economic inactivity rate 2007-09-01: 25.9Economic inactivity rate 2007-12-01: 26.8Economic inactivity rate 2008-03-01: 25.9Economic inactivity rate 2008-06-01: 24.5Economic inactivity rate 2008-09-01: 23.5Economic inactivity rate 2008-12-01: 22.6Economic inactivity rate 2009-03-01: 22.4Economic inactivity rate 2009-06-01: 21.9Economic inactivity rate 2009-09-01: 21.9Economic inactivity rate 2009-12-01: 23.3Economic inactivity rate 2010-03-01: 22.9Economic inactivity rate 2010-06-01: 24.1Economic inactivity rate 2010-09-01: 24.4Economic inactivity rate 2010-12-01: 23.4Economic inactivity rate 2011-03-01: 24.2Economic inactivity rate 2011-06-01: 23.8Economic inactivity rate 2011-09-01: 25.5Economic inactivity rate 2011-12-01: 23.3Economic inactivity rate 2012-03-01: 23.1Economic inactivity rate 2012-06-01: 21.9Economic inactivity rate 2012-09-01: 20.9Economic inactivity rate 2012-12-01: 22.4Economic inactivity rate 2013-03-01: 22.7Economic inactivity rate 2013-06-01: 23.3Economic inactivity rate 2013-09-01: 22.7Economic inactivity rate 2013-12-01: 22.6Economic inactivity rate 2014-03-01: 21.1Economic inactivity rate 2014-06-01: 20.2Economic inactivity rate 2014-09-01: 19.7Economic inactivity rate 2014-12-01: 19.3Economic inactivity rate 2015-03-01: 19.7Economic inactivity rate 2015-06-01: 19.5Economic inactivity rate 2015-09-01: 19Economic inactivity rate 2015-12-01: 18.7Economic inactivity rate 2016-03-01: 19.5Economic inactivity rate 2016-06-01: 19.5Economic inactivity rate 2016-09-01: 19Economic inactivity rate 2016-12-01: 20.7Economic inactivity rate 2017-03-01: 21Economic inactivity rate 2017-06-01: 21.2Economic inactivity rate 2017-09-01: 22.5Economic inactivity rate 2017-12-01: 21.4Economic inactivity rate 2018-03-01: 20.8Economic inactivity rate 2018-06-01: 22Economic inactivity rate 2018-09-01: 22.7Economic inactivity rate 2018-12-01: 22.5Economic inactivity rate 2019-03-01: 22.5Economic inactivity rate 2019-06-01: 21.8Economic inactivity rate 2019-09-01: 20.6Economic inactivity rate 2019-12-01: 20.5Economic inactivity rate 2020-03-01: 20.5Economic inactivity rate 2020-06-01: 18.9Economic inactivity rate 2020-09-01: 19.8Economic inactivity rate 2020-12-01: 19.5Economic inactivity rate 2021-03-01: 19.5Economic inactivity rate 2021-06-01: 19.8Economic inactivity rate 2021-09-01: 20.2Economic inactivity rate 2021-12-01: 20.1Economic inactivity rate 2022-03-01: 18.8Economic inactivity rate 2022-06-01: 19.6Economic inactivity rate 2022-09-01: 20.4Economic inactivity rate 2022-12-01: 19.3Economic inactivity rate 2023-03-01: 21.2Economic inactivity rate 2023-06-01: 21.4

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 Wigan. In Wigan 19922 of 146077 households are in fuel poverty.

Dataset

Fuel Poverty
44% (highest)
23.5%
3% (lowest)
Abram 16.3% of households are fuel poorAshton 11.5% of households are fuel poorAspull New Springs Whelley 9.8% of households are fuel poorAstley Mosley Common 9.5% of households are fuel poorAtherleigh 14.6% of households are fuel poorAtherton 15.0% of households are fuel poorBryn 13.0% of households are fuel poorDouglas 19.4% of households are fuel poorGolborne and Lowton West 13.3% of households are fuel poorHindley 16.1% of households are fuel poorHindley Green 9.8% of households are fuel poorInce 20.0% of households are fuel poorLeigh East 13.1% of households are fuel poorLeigh South 14.5% of households are fuel poorLeigh West 20.2% of households are fuel poorLowton East 8.6% of households are fuel poorOrrell 11.1% of households are fuel poorPemberton 17.6% of households are fuel poorShevington with Lower Ground 8.1% of households are fuel poorStandish with Langtree 10.3% of households are fuel poorTyldesley 12.6% of households are fuel poorWigan Central 14.1% of households are fuel poorWigan West 17.9% of households are fuel poorWinstanley 5.8% of households are fuel poorWorsley Mesnes 11.7% 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 Wigan.

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 Wigan. 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 Wigan. 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: 14.2All (%) Full-Time: 9.2All (%) Part-Time: 25.4Female (%) All: 18Female (%) Full-Time: 0Female (%) Part-Time: 25.4Male (%) 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 Wigan.


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 (%)
-3-6-90121518369Part-TimeFull-TimeAllMedian gap (%) All: 15.5Median gap (%) Full-Time: 13.1Median gap (%) Part-Time: -0.5Mean gap (%) All: 12.8Mean gap (%) Full-Time: 11.9Mean gap (%) Part-Time: -7.6

People in low income households by ethnic group

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the poverty rates by ethnic group in Wigan. 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 Wigan. 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.