Higher Sociology: Poverty, Education, and Social Inequality in the UK

This report investigates the significant impact of poverty on educational attainment in the UK, exploring the issue through a sociological lens. The introduction provides context by defining educational attainment and highlighting the rise of poverty in the UK since 1975. The main body uses secondary research and statistics to demonstrate how poverty affects various demographics, particularly children from low-income families, hindering their access to quality education. The literature review, drawing on sources such as Ian Thompson and Gabrielle (2020), further explores the negative effects of poverty on children's well-being and educational outcomes, emphasizing the role of social and economic factors. The report then applies conflict theory to understand how inequalities in society contribute to poverty and educational disparities. It concludes by summarizing the detrimental effects of poverty on children's development and educational opportunities, emphasizing the need for government intervention and social change to address the issue. The report uses references like Assari and Moghani Lankarani, Brady, Finnigan and Hübgen, Castaño-Rosa, and others to support its arguments.

POVERTY IN UK
LINKED WITH
EDUCATIONAL
ATTAINMENT

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................................................4
SOCIOLOGY THEORY.............................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
This report focuses on different theories and issues related to sociology and help in
understanding about different issues addressed in society. This report help in understanding
about sociology as it is explained as study of social life and social changes in society which
affects human behavior. This report is based on topic Poverty in UK linked with poor
educational attainment as it would help in understanding how poverty in UK have affected.
Educational attainment is explained as the highest degree to which education of individual has
completed (Assari and Moghani Lankarani, 2018).
MAIN BODY
This part of report focuses on secondary research which is used during collecting
information about topic how poverty in UK have affected educational attainment. Poverty in UK
have raised since 1975 as low wages of people have influenced poverty among people of UK.
Lack of employment opportunities for people also contributed in poverty. Statistics have showed
that since 2006, there has been rise in number of people which have faced unemployment and
which have affected living standards of people. According to different statistics it has been
analyzed that since 2018 poverty in UK have been increased and there are some findings related
with rise in poverty in UK which are mentioned below:
 14.3 million people in UK are facing poverty in current scenario.
 8.3 million people belongs to category of adults which are of working-age, 4.6 million
are children and 1.3 million people are of age of pension.
 Half of given people which are in poverty are in category of persistent poverty which
have fallen below poverty in last few years (Brady, Finnigan and Hübgen, 2017).
Above statistics shows that poverty in UK have affected major population and in current
scenario due to COVID-19 many people lost their job which have made major impact on people
and COVID-19 have played vital role in increase of poverty. From above statistics it is clear that
poverty have affected most people in UK but now this poverty has also affected people
educational attainment. Children and Individuals which belongs to poor families are facing issue
of educational attainment. Children which belongs to poor backgrounds are more likely to face
environment of learning at home and in primary years of schooling children and due to poverty is
affects children beliefs and attitudes. Children which are familiar to home learning environment

are most likely to score less in school and considered less competitive in comparison to children
which belongs to rich families. Available statistics shows that children of poor families are
affected in terms of their education as most of children doesn’t have opportunity to attend school
and in case some children might get proper schooling but their families don’t have adequate
resources to send them to college and in that case poverty become barrier for children and
individual in education attainment (Castaño-Rosa and et. al., 2019).
LITERATURE REVIEW
According to Ian Thompson and Gabrielle (2020), Poverty and place are both important
for children education and various research shows that social and economic factors have impact
on educational outcomes. Poverty dulls the life of children and individual, various statistics
showed that people of UK which are economically not strong are the ones which faced this
problem and have poor educational outcomes and attainment. Poverty not only affects education
of children but it does affect well-being of children and individuals. Several reports from British
Educational Research Association shows the effects of poverty in UK on educational outcomes
of children. Authors have helped in understanding about educational landscapes of poverty
across the UK and help in understanding need of education and outcome of education in life of
young people.
According to Ian Thompson and Gabrielle (2020), Children which belongs to families
which are not viable economically are likely to not do better at school in comparison to students
of rich families. Education to young people play vital role in their development but high poverty
affects education of children. Government focuses on making economic conditions of families
effective but high poverty rates are acting as barrier in development of children and young
people. It is being shown that children don’t have clothes and shoes to go to school which is sad
for society as high inequality in wages result in high poverty rates. Teacher are always focuses
on concept that education is important for development of children and it contributes in building
future of children and also preparing them for future opportunities to boost their growth and
development. Teachers may understand importance of education but schools and teachers cannot
issue of poverty alone and its effects on educational achievement. It is responsibility of
government to create conditions favorable for children despite high poverty rates.
According to Ian Thompson and Gabrielle (2020), Poverty not only affect education of
children but statistics shows that children which goes to school also faces hunger. Government

have taken initiatives such as mid-day meals for children but still there are children which faces
issue of hunger. Poverty affects students experience of education in various ways which is very
disturbing such as several families doesn’t have appropriate resources such as books and
materials required during education. Many children also miss school educational trips due to lack
of financial support from their families and lack of resources. Increasing levels of poverty have
affected school functioning as school which are focusing on children which belongs to backward
communities have to face extra challenge which includes child health mentally and physically,
Higher rates of crime and impact of unemployment on children. Budget cuts have also reduced
funding which are available authorities and it has put extra burden to keep maintaining the
standards of education in schools despite budget cuts.
According to Ian Thompson and Gabrielle (2020), Government says that raising the
achievement of disadvantaged pupils and reducing the attainment gap is a priority. However,
rather than directing its efforts towards effectively reducing child poverty and mitigating its
effects, this Government has instead frequently sought to scapegoat schools and teachers for the
“underachievement” of poor pupils. Poverty not only affects families but it does affect children
which belongs to these families and also affect their education which is affecting their
development.
SOCIOLOGY THEORY
From above literature review it is understood that poverty of families affects education of
children and young people which is not good for their development. In this part of report,
conflict theory of sociology is implemented which is explained as the way inequalities of society
contributes in social differences and differences in power. Poverty in UK have affected education
attainment of children and it is due to high poverty rates which is caused due to inequality in
wages of people. There are different social classes in society and inequalities in society causes
conflict which is not suitable for development of society. Poverty in UK rapidly increasing due
to inequality of wages and also it is creating gap among poor and rich people which can create
conflict among people of society. Intensity of conflict in society depends on different groups and
parties that how inequality of power. Poverty in UK which is linked with educational attainment
have greater effects on development of children of families which are not economically sound
and viable. It is important for government to take initiatives to reduce poverty in society and

work towards development of children and have to focus on providing resources which are
beneficial for development of students (Featherstone and et. al., 2019).
CONCLUSION
This report help in concluding about impact of poverty on educational attainment in UK
and how children of families which are economically and financially sound have to face
consequences related to their education. This report concludes about impact of poverty on
development of children as it affects their schooling and also don’t have appropriate resources to
continue their education in scenario of poverty. This report concludes about how lack of
education can affect future development of children and also lack of education can make
negative impact on their growth. This report concludes about inequalities in society which plays
crucial part in raising poverty in society which affects families and it makes direct impact on
education of children as poverty affects educational attainment of children.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Assari, S. and Moghani Lankarani, M., 2018, June. Poverty status and childhood asthma in white
and black families: National Survey of Children’s Health. In Healthcare (Vol. 6, No. 2,
p. 62). Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute.
Brady, D., Finnigan, R.M. and Hübgen, S., 2017. Rethinking the risks of poverty: A framework
for analyzing prevalences and penalties. American Journal of Sociology.123(3). pp.740-
786.
Castaño-Rosa, R., and et. al., 2019. Towards a multiple-indicator approach to energy poverty in
the European Union: A review. Energy and Buildings. 193. pp.36-48.
Featherstone, B., and et. al., 2019. Poverty, inequality, child abuse and neglect: Changing the
conversation across the UK in child protection?. Children and Youth Services Review. 97.
pp.127-133.
Fitzsimons, E., and et. al., 2017. Poverty dynamics and parental mental health: Determinants of
childhood mental health in the UK. Social Science & Medicine. 175. pp.43-51.
Petrova, S., 2018. Encountering energy precarity: Geographies of fuel poverty among young
adults in the UK. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers.43(1). pp.17-30.
Sheehy-Skeffington, J. and Rea, J., 2017. How poverty affects People's decision-making
processes (pp. 1-73). York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Online
Ian, T., and Gabrielle, 2020. POVERTY IN EDUCATION ACROSS THE UK AND HOW IT
AFFECTS EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, 2020 [online], Available through:
<https://theeducation.exchange/poverty-in-education-across-the-uk-a-comparative-analysis-of-
policy-and-place/>