"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 Greater Manchester.

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
Bolton 0.531Bury 0.257Manchester 0.707Oldham 0.514Rochdale 0.602Salford 0.462Stockport 0.191Tameside 0.484Trafford 0.217Wigan 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 Greater Manchester.

Rates of unemployment and economic inactivity over time

What's on this chart?

This chart shows labour market statistics for Greater Manchester.

Dataset

Labour market economic activity
Unemployment rate
Economic inactivity rate
YearJun 2005Jun 2008Jun 2011Jun 2014Jun 2017Jun 2020Jun 2023% of population010152025305Unemployment rate 2004-12-01: 4.9Unemployment rate 2005-03-01: 4.8Unemployment rate 2005-06-01: 4.7Unemployment rate 2005-09-01: 5.1Unemployment rate 2005-12-01: 5.6Unemployment rate 2006-03-01: 5.9Unemployment rate 2006-06-01: 6.1Unemployment rate 2006-09-01: 5.6Unemployment rate 2006-12-01: 5.5Unemployment rate 2007-03-01: 5.4Unemployment rate 2007-06-01: 5.7Unemployment rate 2007-09-01: 6.1Unemployment rate 2007-12-01: 6.3Unemployment rate 2008-03-01: 6.7Unemployment rate 2008-06-01: 6.8Unemployment rate 2008-09-01: 7Unemployment rate 2008-12-01: 7.4Unemployment rate 2009-03-01: 7.6Unemployment rate 2009-06-01: 8.5Unemployment rate 2009-09-01: 9.6Unemployment rate 2009-12-01: 9.9Unemployment rate 2010-03-01: 10.2Unemployment rate 2010-06-01: 9.6Unemployment rate 2010-09-01: 9.1Unemployment rate 2010-12-01: 8.9Unemployment rate 2011-03-01: 8.6Unemployment rate 2011-06-01: 9Unemployment rate 2011-09-01: 9.4Unemployment rate 2011-12-01: 9.7Unemployment rate 2012-03-01: 10.1Unemployment rate 2012-06-01: 10.1Unemployment rate 2012-09-01: 9.7Unemployment rate 2012-12-01: 9.6Unemployment rate 2013-03-01: 9.4Unemployment rate 2013-06-01: 9.3Unemployment rate 2013-09-01: 9.1Unemployment rate 2013-12-01: 9Unemployment rate 2014-03-01: 8.7Unemployment rate 2014-06-01: 8.7Unemployment rate 2014-09-01: 8.1Unemployment rate 2014-12-01: 7.8Unemployment rate 2015-03-01: 7.4Unemployment rate 2015-06-01: 6.9Unemployment rate 2015-09-01: 7.1Unemployment rate 2015-12-01: 6.7Unemployment rate 2016-03-01: 6.6Unemployment rate 2016-06-01: 6.6Unemployment rate 2016-09-01: 6.3Unemployment rate 2016-12-01: 6.3Unemployment rate 2017-03-01: 6.1Unemployment rate 2017-06-01: 5.6Unemployment rate 2017-09-01: 5.6Unemployment rate 2017-12-01: 5Unemployment rate 2018-03-01: 4.9Unemployment rate 2018-06-01: 4.6Unemployment rate 2018-09-01: 4.5Unemployment rate 2018-12-01: 4.6Unemployment rate 2019-03-01: 4.4Unemployment rate 2019-06-01: 4.8Unemployment rate 2019-09-01: 4.9Unemployment rate 2019-12-01: 5.1Unemployment rate 2020-03-01: 5.2Unemployment rate 2020-06-01: 5Unemployment rate 2020-09-01: 5.3Unemployment rate 2020-12-01: 5.6Unemployment rate 2021-03-01: 5.8Unemployment rate 2021-06-01: 5.8Unemployment rate 2021-09-01: 5.6Unemployment rate 2021-12-01: 5.1Unemployment rate 2022-03-01: 5.5Unemployment rate 2022-06-01: 5.1Unemployment rate 2022-09-01: 5.1Unemployment rate 2022-12-01: 5Unemployment rate 2023-03-01: 4.1Unemployment rate 2023-06-01: 4.4Economic inactivity rate 2004-12-01: 26Economic inactivity rate 2005-03-01: 25.8Economic inactivity rate 2005-06-01: 25.9Economic inactivity rate 2005-09-01: 26Economic inactivity rate 2005-12-01: 25.8Economic inactivity rate 2006-03-01: 25.6Economic inactivity rate 2006-06-01: 25.4Economic inactivity rate 2006-09-01: 25.2Economic inactivity rate 2006-12-01: 25.2Economic inactivity rate 2007-03-01: 25.4Economic inactivity rate 2007-06-01: 25.2Economic inactivity rate 2007-09-01: 25.3Economic inactivity rate 2007-12-01: 25.6Economic inactivity rate 2008-03-01: 25.6Economic inactivity rate 2008-06-01: 25.9Economic inactivity rate 2008-09-01: 25.6Economic inactivity rate 2008-12-01: 26.1Economic inactivity rate 2009-03-01: 26.1Economic inactivity rate 2009-06-01: 25.7Economic inactivity rate 2009-09-01: 25.6Economic inactivity rate 2009-12-01: 25.6Economic inactivity rate 2010-03-01: 25.9Economic inactivity rate 2010-06-01: 26.2Economic inactivity rate 2010-09-01: 26.5Economic inactivity rate 2010-12-01: 26.5Economic inactivity rate 2011-03-01: 26.9Economic inactivity rate 2011-06-01: 26.8Economic inactivity rate 2011-09-01: 27.1Economic inactivity rate 2011-12-01: 26.6Economic inactivity rate 2012-03-01: 26.5Economic inactivity rate 2012-06-01: 26.1Economic inactivity rate 2012-09-01: 25.8Economic inactivity rate 2012-12-01: 25.9Economic inactivity rate 2013-03-01: 25.4Economic inactivity rate 2013-06-01: 25.6Economic inactivity rate 2013-09-01: 25.7Economic inactivity rate 2013-12-01: 25.8Economic inactivity rate 2014-03-01: 25.7Economic inactivity rate 2014-06-01: 25.4Economic inactivity rate 2014-09-01: 25.3Economic inactivity rate 2014-12-01: 25.2Economic inactivity rate 2015-03-01: 25.2Economic inactivity rate 2015-06-01: 25.4Economic inactivity rate 2015-09-01: 25.1Economic inactivity rate 2015-12-01: 24.8Economic inactivity rate 2016-03-01: 24.7Economic inactivity rate 2016-06-01: 24.5Economic inactivity rate 2016-09-01: 24.7Economic inactivity rate 2016-12-01: 24.8Economic inactivity rate 2017-03-01: 24.8Economic inactivity rate 2017-06-01: 24.8Economic inactivity rate 2017-09-01: 24.3Economic inactivity rate 2017-12-01: 24.2Economic inactivity rate 2018-03-01: 23.6Economic inactivity rate 2018-06-01: 23.7Economic inactivity rate 2018-09-01: 23.6Economic inactivity rate 2018-12-01: 23.6Economic inactivity rate 2019-03-01: 24Economic inactivity rate 2019-06-01: 24Economic inactivity rate 2019-09-01: 23.7Economic inactivity rate 2019-12-01: 23.4Economic inactivity rate 2020-03-01: 23.3Economic inactivity rate 2020-06-01: 23.3Economic inactivity rate 2020-09-01: 23.8Economic inactivity rate 2020-12-01: 23.5Economic inactivity rate 2021-03-01: 23.7Economic inactivity rate 2021-06-01: 23.8Economic inactivity rate 2021-09-01: 23.8Economic inactivity rate 2021-12-01: 24.5Economic inactivity rate 2022-03-01: 24.6Economic inactivity rate 2022-06-01: 24.3Economic inactivity rate 2022-09-01: 24.5Economic inactivity rate 2022-12-01: 23.8Economic inactivity rate 2023-03-01: 24Economic inactivity rate 2023-06-01: 23.4

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 Greater Manchester. In Greater Manchester 176855 of 1203037 households are in fuel poverty.

Dataset

Fuel Poverty
44% (highest)
23.5%
3% (lowest)
Bolton 15.4% of households are fuel poorBury 13.4% of households are fuel poorManchester 18.3% of households are fuel poorOldham 16.0% of households are fuel poorRochdale 15.8% of households are fuel poorSalford 13.2% of households are fuel poorStockport 12.2% of households are fuel poorTameside 14.2% of households are fuel poorTrafford 11.8% of households are fuel poorWigan 13.6% 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 Greater Manchester.

Dataset

Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings Weekly Earnings
£463 (lowest)
£563.5
£664 (highest)
Bolton £535 median weekly wageBury £575 median weekly wageManchester £537 median weekly wageOldham £512 median weekly wageRochdale £552 median weekly wageSalford £536 median weekly wageStockport £589 median weekly wageTameside £536 median weekly wageTrafford £610 median weekly wageWigan £546 median weekly wage

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 Greater Manchester. 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 Greater Manchester. Percentages can add to more than 100 as "All sexes" includes those already counted in "Men" and "Women".

Dataset

Jobs below living wage

No data available at this level.

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 Greater Manchester.


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

No data available at this level.

People in low income households by ethnic group

What's on this chart?

This chart shows the poverty rates by ethnic group in Greater Manchester. 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 Greater Manchester. 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.