A QUARTER of the population of York is on the breadline, and a further one-in-ten households are "very poor".

Those are the conclusions of a new survey conducted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which has found that inequalities in wealth have reached levels not seen for 40 years.

The research is based on information from the census, and gives figures for the beginning of the last four decades - the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.

It shows in York 26.7 per cent of households were classified as being "breadline poor" in 2000 - a category that the researchers define as "households living below a relative poverty line and, as such, excluded from participating in the norms of society".

This compares to 22.4 per cent in 1990, 16.9 per cent in 1980 and 24.8 per cent in 1970.

Indicators that households may be breadline poor include if the home is overcrowded, if it's a single parent household and if the home is rented from the council or a housing association.

The research says 10.7 per cent of households are very poor. Indicators for this include if people cannot afford to eat meat or fish every other day, must buy second-hand clothes, and cannot afford a week's annual holiday away from home.

The number of very poor has dropped from 15 per cent of households in 1990 and 15.5 per cent in 1970.

In contrast, 0.5 per cent of households in York are classed as very wealthy, 6.7 per cent as wealthy and 66.6 per cent as neither rich nor poor.

In 1990 no household in York was classed as very wealthy, 18 per cent were wealthy and 59.6 per cent were neither rich nor poor.

Across the nation, the research found that in general more households are now classed as poor, though there are fewer that are very poor. But most people believe the gap between the rich and poor is too great.

Steve Galloway, the leader of City of York Council, said the authority's powers were limited when it came to tackling poverty, because central Government could change the way people were taxed.

But it did have a social inclusion working group, designed to make sure residents were not excluded from society because of poverty, and issues relating to poverty were due to be given a higher profile.

He said: "We do accept those who are claiming benefits, or worse, not claiming benefits they are entitled to, are an area we need to find more ways of getting through to."


Rich and poor across region

Selby

Breadline poor or very poor in 2000: 30.3 per cent.

Neither poor nor rich in 2000: 64.5 per cent.

Wealthy or very wealthy in 2000: 14.1 per cent.

Breadline poor or very poor in 1980: 21.6 per cent.

Neither poor nor rich in 1980: 72.1 per cent.

Wealthy or very wealthy in 1980: 16.4 per cent.

Malton Breadline poor or very poor in 2000: 30.8 per cent.

Neither poor nor rich in 2000: 44.1 per cent.

Wealthy or very wealthy in 2000: 34.3 per cent.

Breadline poor or very poor in 1980: 21 per cent.

Neither poor nor rich in 1980: 53.2 per cent.

Wealthy or very wealthy in 1980: 45.1 per cent.

Pocklington

Breadline poor or very poor in 2000: 25.2 per cent.

Neither poor nor rich in 2000: 53.8 per cent.

Wealthy or very wealthy in 2000: 28.4 per cent.

Breadline poor or very poor in 1980: 17.9 per cent.

Neither poor nor rich in 1980: 69.5 per cent.

Wealthy or very wealthy in 1980: 28.4 per cent.


How 21st century poverty is defined

The criteria for being a "breadline poor" household include:* overcrowded households (more than one person per room)* renting from local authorities or housing associations* lone-parent households* households with no car.

The criteria for being a "very poor" household include:

* being in arrears on rent/mortgage, utilities and hire purchase payments* buying second-hand, not new clothes.