Gap between rich and poor continues to widen

The gap between the rich and poor continues to grow, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

In OECD member states, which include most of the EU, the US, Canada, Australia and Japan, the richest 10% of the population earn 9.6 times the amount of the poorest 10%. The figure has climbed consistently since the financial crisis.

The OECD has warned that growing inequality could jeapordise economic growth, with a widening gap in education and opportunity central to the problem, resulting in a less effective workforce.

A rise in temporary contracts and self-employment, which have dominated job creation, has also been linked to higher poverty rates, due to a lack of financial security.

Meanwhile tax and benefits are redistributing income less effectively.

However, gendered equality has continued to improve, with the number of working women steadily increasing.