Dividend payouts drop – does the UK still offer a good income opportunity?

Dividend payouts dropped by 8% last quarter, but UK equities could still offer strong opportunities for income-hungry investors.

Total payouts came to £25.6 billion in Q3, according to financial services company Computershare. This is down from £27.8 billion a year ago, as cuts in the mining and utilities sectors took their toll, alongside a drop in one-off special dividends.