People living in poverty are more likely to get sick and their illnesses are likely to be more serious. They have higher rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Without a decent income, some people are unable to afford healthy foods and maintain a healthy lifestyle. They also cannot afford health care programs, services, prescription medications and other treatments that many take for granted, such as dental care.

People find themselves living in poverty for many reasons – due to life situations or often due to some personal or economic crisis beyond their control. The cause of poverty is not always simple and straight-forward. Factors that contribute to poverty range from the personal to the structural. Examples include the affordability of housing, the adequacy of employment insurance, access to health, education and training, and the lack of living wages from employment. Those who are living in poverty are made up of older people as well as younger people; they are the disabled as well as the able-bodied; the well-educated as well as the poorly educated. Losing a job, losing a spouse, and or losing good health are some of the reasons that people fall into poverty.

Children in poverty are more likely to experience a range of negative outcomes: low academic achievement, health problems, early pregnancy, homelessness, lower high school graduation rates and poor employment outcomes.