There is widespread concern that economic growth has not been fairly shared, and that the economic crisis has only widened the gap between rich and poor. The OECD examines the trends and patterns in inequality and poverty for OECD and emerging countries. Its work analyses the multiple causes linked to growing inequalities, such as globalisation, technological change and changes in redistribution policies. It also assesses the effectiveness of social and labour market policies in tackling poverty and high inequalities. |
KEY INFORMATION ON INEQUALITY AND POVERTY
- 11 June 2024:IDD (Income Distribution Database) data update, with new 2021 data for most countries
- 25 November 2022: launch of theObservatory on Social Mobility and Equal Opportunity >Over the past fifteen years, the OECD has collected a significant body of evidence on the extent and drivers of inequalities, social mobility and equal opportunity, including policy responses on how to tackle these issues. This evidence has shown how reducing inequalities can be highly beneficial for society as a whole. To capitalise on these lessons and address existing information gaps, the OECD is launching an Observatory on Social Mobility and Equal Opportunity. The Observatory will push forward the OECD’s work on these key topics, by collecting new data, discussing new policy options and analysing the role played by the civil society and the private sector.
- 1 December 2021 :launch of "Is the German Middle Class Crumbling? Risks and Opportunities" : the review demonstrates that the German middle class is similar in size as in peer countries, but substantially smaller than it was in the mid-1990s. Lower middle‑class households face an increased risk of slipping out of the middle; meanwhile, upward mobility into the middle has declined, particularly for workers in “typical” middle-class occupations. Employment growth forecasts point to further occupational polarisation. The review proposes policy options for strengthening the employability of middle-class workers, creating good-quality, future-oriented jobs, and boosting middle‑class disposable incomes. See "Highlights" for a summary.
- 18 November 2021 :launch of "Does Inequality Matter? How people perceive economic disparities and social mobility" report:
How OECD citizens perceive economic disparities and social mobility, including:
Do people care about inequality?
Are perceptions disconnected from reality?
How divided is public opinion within countries?
How do people’s views on inequality shape their demand for redistribution?
- 6 July 2021: Policy Insightsand Policy Webinar (Agenda andReplay) on Inequalities in Household Wealth and Financial Insecurity of Households;
This brief analyses the most recent levels and trends in the distribution of household wealth and its composition at the top and the bottom of the distribution. It looks at the availability of liquid wealth holdings for poorer households as a buffer to draw in exceptional circ*mstances such as the current crisis, and discusses policy options to help counteract high and rising wealth inequality
+ New WDD (Wealth Distribution Database) data update, via http://oe.cd/wdd
- April 2019: New report:Under Pressure: The Squeezed Middle Class
This report sheds light on the multiple pressures on the middle class. It analyses the trends of middle-income households through dimensions such as labour occupation, consumption, wealth and debt, as well as perceptions and social attitudes. It also discusses policy initiatives to address the concerns raised by the middle class, by protecting middle-class living standards and financial security in the face of economic challenges.
- June 2018: New report A Broken Social Elevator? How to Promote Social Mobility?
This report provides new evidence on social mobility in the context of increased inequalities of income and opportunities in OECD and selected emerging economies. It covers the aspects of both, social mobility between parents and children and of personal income mobility over the life course, and their drivers. The report shows that there is space for policies to make societies more mobile and protect households from adverse income shocks. It discusses the options and measures that policy-makers can consider how to improve social mobility across and within generations.
- November 2016: OECD Inequality Update 2016 "Income inequality remains high in the face of weak recovery"
- 6-page report(.pdf)
- figures and data(.xlsx)
- In It Together: Why less inequality benefits all(May 2015)
The long-run increase in income inequality not only raises social and political concerns, but also economic ones. It tends to drag down GDP growth, due to the rising distance of the lower 40% from the rest of society. Lower income people have been prevented from realising their human capital potential, which is bad for the economy as a whole.This book highlights the key areas where inequalities are created and where new policies are required, including persisting gender gaps; the challenge of high wealth concentration, and the role for redistribution policies, among others.
Data on income inequality and poverty
OECD Income Distribution Database To benchmark and monitor income inequality and poverty across countries, the OECD relies on a dedicated statistical database: theOECD Income Distribution Database. Due to the increasing importance of income inequality and poverty issues in policy discussion, the database is now annually updated.
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"Compare Your Income'' web tool
What's your perception of income inequality? The OECD Compare your income toolallows you to see whether your perception is in line with reality. In only a few clicks, you can see where you fit in your country's income distribution. In June 2020, an updated edition was released to explore how people’s perceptions of inequality impact their willingness to support redistribution and to see what areas users would prioritise for public spending.
RELATED DOCUMENTS
- Living wages in context (OECD Paper on Well-being and Inequalities #13,April 2023) andLiving wages in practice(OECD Policy Insights on Well-being, Inclusion and Equal Opportunity #8, April 2023)
- Social welfare systems and inequality in Europe (“La Caixa” Foundation report, September 2023)
- Nowcasting and provisional estimates of income inequality using microsimulation techniques (OECD Paper on Well-being and Inequalities #12, February 2023)
- Measuring the joint distribution of household income, consumption and wealth at the micro level (OECD Paper on Well-being and Inequalities #11, January 2023)
- Current challenges to social mobility and equality of opportunity (OECD Paper on Well-being and Inequalities #10,November 2022)
- Redistribution from a joint income-wealth perspective (SEM Working Parper #257, January 2021)
- Promoting Social Mobility in Austria (SEM Working Paper #251, Dec. 2020)
- Job polarisation and the middle class:SEM Working paper #232(46 pages, July 2019)Policy Brief(6 pages, April 2019)
- Inequalities in emerging economies: Informing the policy dialogue on inclusive growth (OECD Statistics Working Paper #13, December 2018)
- Inequalities in household wealth across OECD countries: Evidence from the OECD Wealth Distribution Database (June 2018)
- Income Inequality: The Gap between Rich and Poor(December 2015: OECD Insights)
- Adapting to the changing face of work: Policies to make the most of part-time and temporary work (August 2015, Policy Brief)
- Does income inequality hurt economic growth?- see relatedFigures and data(December 2014,also available inJapanese)
- Trends in income inequality and its impact on economic growth(December 2014)
See here for a full list of our related publications and other material on income distribution and poverty.
CONTACT
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