Background:　Prior　studies　on　the　link　between　socioeconomic　status　(SES)　and　diabetic　microvascular　complications　have　been　inconclusive.　This　study　aimed　to　explore　whether　SES　is　associated　with　the　risk　of　diabetic　retinopathy　(DR),　nephropathy　(DN)　and　diabetic　peripheral　neuropathy　(DPN)　using　large　prospective　cohort.　Methods:　SES　was　evaluated　using　education　attainment　(individual　level),　household　income　(household　level),　and　Townsend　deprivation　index　(TDI,　neighborhood　level).　This　study　included　28,339　participants　without　DR,　29,951　without　DN　and　29,762　without　DPN　at　baseline　from　the　UK　Biobank.　Weighted　Cox　proportional　hazard　models　were　used　to　investigate　the　relationship　between　SES　and　the　risk　of　diabetic　microvascular　complications.　Results:　The　median　follow-ups　of　the　DR,　DN　and　DPN　cohorts　were　12.95,　12.89　and　13.02　years,　respectively.　In　total,　3,177　(11.2%)　participants　developed　DR,　4,418　(14.8%)　developed　DN　and　1,604　(5.4%)　developed　DPN.　After　adjusting　for　confounders,　higher　education　levels　(DN:　hazard　ratios　[HR]　=　0.85;　95%　CI,　0.82–0.89;　P　＜　0.001;　DPN:　HR　=　0.93;　95%　CI,　0.87-1.00;　P　=　0.040),　higher　household　income　(DN:　HR　=　0.80;　95%　CI,　0.75–0.85;　P　＜　0.001;　DPN:　HR　=　0.80;　95%　CI,　0.73–0.89;　P　＜　0.001),　and　lower　TDI　(DN:　HR　=　1.19;　95%　CI,　1.14–1.23;　P　＜　0.001;　DPN:　HR　=　1.27;　95%　CI,　1.19–1.36;　P　＜　0.001)　were　associated　with　a　lower　risk　of　DN　and　DPN.　In　contrast,　a　lower　risk　of　DR　was　only　related　to　higher　household　income　(HR　=　0.92;　95%　CI,　0.87–0.97;　P　=　0.004)　and　lower　TDI　(HR　=　1.08;　95%　CI,　1.02–1.13;　P　=　0.004).　Conclusions:　Low　SES　increases　the　risk　of　diabetic　microvascular　complications,　emphasizing　the　need　for　equitable　medical　resource　allocation　to　reduce　diabetes-related　inequity.　©　The　Author(s)　2025.