The pie chart delineates the distribution of families living in poverty in the United Kingdom in 2002, categorized by household type.
Overall, poverty was disproportionately concentrated among sole-parent households and single adults without children, whereas elderly households constituted the smallest fractions. A clear pattern emerges in which non-elderly and single-adult households were significantly more vulnerable to poverty than their older counterparts.
Sole-parent families accounted for the largest proportion, at 26%, marginally exceeding the figure for single individuals without children, which stood at 24%. Collectively, these two groups comprised exactly half of all families experiencing poverty, underscoring their dominant contribution. By contrast, couples with children represented a considerably smaller share, at 15%, indicating a comparatively lower, though still notable, incidence of poverty.
The remaining categories exhibited progressively lower proportions. Households overall accounted for 14%, while couples without children made up 9%. Poverty among elderly populations was markedly less prevalent, with single aged individuals representing 7% and aged couples comprising the smallest segment, at just 5%. This distribution highlights a pronounced disparity between younger, more economically vulnerable household types and older, more financially stable groups.