Poverty in Italy increases three-fold since 2005

The number of people in absolute poverty in Italy in 2021 was 5.6 million (9.4% of the population), almost three times more than the 1.9 people in this condition in 2005, ISTAT said in its annual report.

The national statistics agency said the number of families in poverty had doubled in this period of time, going from 800,000 to 1.96 million last year (7.5% of all households).

It said the proportion of people aged 18 to 34 in poverty had almost quadrupled, from 3.1% in 2005 to 11.1% last year.

It said the proportion of Italy’s minors in poverty had risen from 3.9% in 2005 to 14.2% in 2021.

The report added that around one million people more would be in poverty if it were not for the ‘citizenship wage’ benefit for the poor and the jobless and the various forms of aid the State provided following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Via ANSA