This graph shows the make-up of each income group according to their household’s main source of income. The majority (60%) of people in the lowest 20% income group live in households where the main income is social security payments. However, 40% of people in that income group live in households relying mainly on other income sources, including wages (26%), own business income (6%) and ‘other income’, mainly investments (8%). Towards the higher end of the income scale, 87% of those in the highest 20% income group are in households relying mainly on earnings, and none are in households relying mainly on social security. However, even higher up the scale an increasing share of people live in households rely mainly on investment income – from 9% of the highest 20% income group, to 14% of the highest 10% income group, and 17% of the highest 5% income group.
