The number of Maltese living in poor or materially deprived conditions continued to rise in 2011, according to statistics published by the EU yesterday.
Although still lower than the EU average, poverty among the Maltese is becoming so widespread that it is estimated that one in every five people is now affected.
According to Eurostat, some 89,000 people, or 21.4 per cent of the Maltese population, were at risk of poverty or were severely materially deprived last year, an increase of 1.1 per cent over 2010.
Based on surveys updated each year, Eurostat said that those considered at risk of poverty in Malta, even taking into account all the social benefits they were eligible for out of public funds, amounted to 15.4 per cent of the population, 0.1 per cent less than in 2010.
However, this marginal improvement was completely wiped out by a rise in the “mater-ially socially deprived” category, which in 2011 reached 6.3 per cent, up from 5.7 per cent registered the year before.
89,000
the number of severely deprived or at risk of poverty
The EU defines people at risk of poverty as those living in a household with an equivalent disposable income below the risk-of-poverty threshold, which is set at 60 per cent of the national median.
On the other hand, those in the severely materially deprived category cannot afford four out of nine resources, which includeto pay rent or utility bills on time; to keep their home warm; to face unexpected expenses; to eat meat, fish or a protein equivalent every second day; to have a week’s holiday away from home each year; to be able to own a car; to own a washing machine; to own a TV set; or those who cannot afford a telephone.
Though this is the second year in a row that shows that the number of poor people in Malta is increasing, poverty is higher and on the rise in the rest of the EU.
According to Eurostat, 24.2 per cent of the EU population, some 119 million people, were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2011.
Bulgaria (49 per cent), Romania and Latvia (both at 40 per cent) registered the highest shares of poor people last year.
On the other hand, Luxembourg and Austria (both at 17 per cent) had the fewest poor people among the 27 EU member states.