Identify the Reasons offered by Sociologists to Explain Why Women are more at Risk of Poverty than Men. Within Britain, there is poverty all around us. However, poverty is quite difficult to define because there is no official poverty

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Identify the Reasons offered by Sociologists to Explain

Why Women are more at Risk of Poverty than Men.

Within Britain, there is poverty all around us. However, poverty is quite difficult to define because there is no official poverty line in Britain, and the 3 method used are: using 50-60% average income, this is difficult because there are different numbers of people within each household, therefore income may need to stretch more or less due to this. In addition to this the person(s) savings aren’t included, and this could make a difference. Those on means tested benefits, this is challenging because not everyone knows what benefits they are entitled to, while others struggle to go back to work and loose the benefits, so decide not to work, or work very limited hours. So therefore are in a continuous poverty trap. Using a basket of goods or services does not help define poverty because people(s) wants and needs differ; also, the actual list requires updating.

There are many factors to consider when explaining why the genders differ within poverty. These are: employment; segregated labour market; those who experience being poor; and lone-female households.

Women, in society’s eyes, are still assumed to be primarily carers, and financially dependant on men. This has resulted in women’s gross individual income from employment, pensions, benefits investment etc. being on average 51% lower than men’s. Throughout history, women’s paid employment history has had an M-shaped profile, meaning that there is a high level of employment, or participation, within the labour market while they are young; which is then followed by a withdrawal when women have children this leads to a staggered return to paid employment, from their mid-thirties and onwards, which is often on a part-time basis due to parental responsibilities. This then leads to a decline when they are nearing or reach retirement age. In contrast to this, men’s typical employment pattern is of continuous full-time work, therefore consequence in a much higher lifetime’s earnings, compared to women.

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Men’s and women’s lifetime earnings also differ due to in 2002 women in full-time employment had average hourly earnings to be 19% lower than men’s, also the difference to those working part-time; women had a average hourly earnings to be 41% lower than men’s. This is usually a result of domestic and childcare responsibilities; women are more likely than males to work part-time; 43% of women worker part-time compared to only 9% of men. Weekly earnings of men and women is one of the widest pay gaps within the UK due to employers not wishing to encounter additional costs, often ...

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