Latest Household Expenditure Tracker reveals lowest earning households are left with less than £50 per week on average after paying for essentials

The Northern Ireland Household Expenditure Tracker found that Northern Ireland’s lowest earning households have seen their discretionary income fall by 22% since the first quarter of 2021, leaving them with less than £50 per week on average after paying for essentials. 

In Quarter 2 2024 (April to June), on average these households:

• spent 50% of their total basic spending on food, rent, energy, and transport per week
• have 6% less income before tax than the UK average
• saw their discretionary income rise almost 20% over the last quarter from £41.73 to £49.95 per week
• saw a rise of 4% in income after tax over the last quarter from £268.63 to £279.38 per week

The ability of households in Northern Ireland to absorb unexpected bills or price rises differs sharply depending on household income. Northern Ireland’s highest earning households have on average almost 14 times more discretionary income left to spend every week compared to the lowest earning households.

Anne-Marie Murphy, our Director of Strategy & Emerging Markets, said: “While our lowest earning households have seen a 20% rise in discretionary income over the last quarter, this equates to less than £10 per week for an average household (£8.22). Less than £10 per week doesn’t go very far when you are trying to feed a family or heat your home.

“Many Northern Ireland consumers remain vulnerable to price rises or unexpected costs with our latest Pulse survey showing that nearly two in five (38%) of Northern Ireland’s consumers feel that their personal finances have had a negative impact on their mental health.

“To help consumers, we offer a variety of support and advice including interactive tools to compare energy costs and advice on how to reduce your bills and make your money go further."

You can view the latest Northern Ireland Household Expenditure Tracker here: Q2 2024 Northern Ireland Household Expenditure Tracker | Consumer Council