BACKGROUND COLOUR

Is falling income inequality COVID’s silver lining?

Insights
. .
16 Sep 2021

While the initial period of the pandemic led to job losses and falls in income, the payments introduced by the Federal Government helped ease the impact for the low paid. This actually led to an improvement in income inequality. Fewer people also were finding things difficult on their current income.

10 %

Between February and April 2020, income per person per week fell by around $77.00 or 10%.

34 %

Income per person in the lowest income level went up 34% due to the increases in government assistance.

23 %

Nearly a quarter of people were finding it difficult on their current income, which is a fall from 27% in February.

6.2

Because of the Government payments introduced to deal with COVID-19, income inequality improved substantially falling from 7.2 in February to 6.2 in April.

Change in Weekly Per Person After-Tax Household Income, February and April 2020
Which of the following describes your household's total income, after tax and compulsory deductions, from all sources?
Sources & Methodology
Variable description By decile
Deciles:
1. $0 to $24,554 ($0 to $472 weekly)
2. More than $24,554 to $38,896 (more than $472 to $748 weekly)
3. More than $38,896 to $52,884 (more than $748 to $1,017 weekly)
4. More than $52,884 to $69,524 (more than $1,017 to $1,337 weekly)
5. More than $69,524 to $88,452 (more than $1,337 to $1,701 weekly)
6. More than $88,452 to $109,304 (more than $1,701 to $2,102 weekly)
7. More than $109,304 to $134,784 (more than $2,102 to $2,592 weekly)
8. More than $134,784 to $168,688 (more than $2,592 to $3,244 weekly)
9. More than $168,688 to $222,300 (more than $3,244 to $4,275 weekly)
10. More than $222,300 (more than $4,275 weekly)
Variable time span February 2020 - April 2020
Published by ANU Poll
Publisher Link https://csrm.cass.anu.edu.au/research/publications/hardship-distress-and-resilience-initial-impacts-covid-19-australia-1
Data Source doi:10.26193/HLMZNW
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