Income and wealth statistics for households, 2005

The increase in property income is mainly due to a substantial increase in received dividends. In 2005, households received NOK 99 billion in dividends, compared to NOK 63 billion in the previous year. 2005 was also a profitable year for selling shares. Between 2004 and 2005, realised capital gains from the sale of shares or fixed property almost doubled, and amounted to NOK 25 billion in 2005.

Strong increase in household income

Total household income rose by roughly 11 per cent and amounted to NOK 1 136 billion in 2005. Total household income is the sum of income from employment, net income from self-employment, property income and various transfers such as pensions and social benefits. Income from work rose by 7 per cent in 2005, while taxable transfers (mainly pensions) rose by 5 per cent. Tax-free transfers, on the other hand, fell by roughly 2 per cent between 2004 and 2005. Tax-free transfers that declined included cash for care, dwelling support and child support.

Greater inequality

The extent of inequality in income distribution changed considerably between 2004 and 2005. The richest 10 per cent of the population increased their share of total household equivalent income from 25.2 to 29.5 per cent. The income concentration at the top 10 per cent of the distribution came at the expense of all other households, who experienced a decline in their share of total income.

All deciles experienced a real growth in income from 2004 and 2005 but the top 10 per cent of the population had a much stronger rise in income compared to households at the bottom of the distribution. While the bottom 10 per cent of the population had a modest increase in household income of just 1 per cent, the top 10 per cent had an increase of almost 30 per cent.

The amount of property income received by households is strongly influenced by current tax rules. The income year 2005 was the last year shareholders could receive dividend without paying personal income taxes. This is probably the main explanation for the rise in property income in 2005, and for the increase in inequality.

Changes in underlying data

As of the income year 2005, the household income statistics are based totally on register data. Prior to 2005 the underlying data were based on representative sample surveys where household information (household composition) was collected in interviews. In the new register based income statistics, household information is collected from various administrative sources. For further information on methods, see "About the statistics".

There are several advantages of compiling income distribution statistics from registers rather than sample surveys, for instance higher level of accuracy, the possibility for small domain analyses and geographical and longitudinal analyses. The change in underlying data may, however, harm comparability with older surveys, for instance the possibility for comparing trends in income development for particular household types.

Tables:

• Table 1 Income account for residents at current kroner. 1993-2005. NOK million
• Table 2 Income account for households. Average per household. 2004 and 2005. NOK
• Table 3 Income account for households, by type of household. Averge per household. 2005. NOK
• Table 4 Distribution of household equivalent income after taxes , between persons. (EU-scale). Decile shares and cumulative decile shares. 1990-2004. Per cent
• Table 5 Percentage of people in households with annual after-tax income per consumption unit below different distances to the median income. OECD-scale and EU-scale. 1996-2005
• Table 6 Low-income thresholds for different types of households (annual income) equal to 50 and 60 per cent of the median income after tax. 2005. NOK
• Table 7 Composition of total household income within decile groups for household equivalent income after taxes, between persons. (EU-scale). Share of total income. 2005. Per cent
• Table 8 After tax income, by type of household and counties. Median. 2005. NOK
• Table 9 Number of household, by size of debt and total income of the household. 1995, 2000, 2004 and 2005 (Published 14 November 2007)