Challenges with child poverty, the situation of single parents, affordable housing, unemployment and chronic illnesses! – 2024-04-30 09:31:57

Poverty conference on new data: increasing the strengths of the welfare state and correcting the weaknesses.

Vienna (OTS) – “Social deprivation has increased to 336,000 people (3.7%) (2022: 201,000, 2.3%). Social exclusion among children in particular has grown to 88,000 people affected (2022: 36,000),” the Poverty Conference Network analyzes the data from Statistics Austria. Overall, income poverty and deprivation simultaneously affect 194,000 people (2%) in the country.
“Effective help is needed for child poverty, the unemployed, the situation of single parents, affordable housing and people with chronic illnesses,” is how the poverty conference summarizes the new data. In addition to children, single mothers (48%), the unemployed (33%) and single women in retirement (30%) are particularly at risk of poverty and exclusion. People with chronic illnesses face major problems. And the high cost of housing pushes many people to the brink. The burden of housing costs increased from 1.2 million (13%) to 2.7 million (30%).

Strong welfare states reduce the risk of relegation

But the data also shows that strong welfare states reduce the risk of social decline and protect the middle from poverty. Social benefits make a decisive contribution to social balance and have a poverty-preventing effect. They reduce the risk of poverty from 42% to 14.9%. Unemployment benefits, emergency and minimum income benefits, and housing assistance have the greatest impact.

At the same time, the high risks for certain groups and the increase in social deprivation point to the challenges in the Austrian welfare state: there is a need for action in terms of affordable housing, securing a livelihood through social assistance and unemployment benefits, energy costs and education.

Affordable housing: rent control, improved housing assistance, social housing.

We need more cheap, affordable housing and more investment in public and non-profit housing; there is still a lot of catching up to do in many parts of Austria. Furthermore, an improved housing allowance with a new minimum income needs to be implemented instead of the poor “social assistance”.

Social benefits that secure a living: reform of poor social assistance, valorization and increase of unemployment benefits and emergency assistance.

There are particularly drastic cuts in the social assistance law for people with disabilities, whose maintenance claims are now counted as income throughout Austria. Children are seriously affected by cuts and their development is often restricted. Another massive deterioration affects housing benefits; housing allowances are now being withheld by the responsible authorities. There are no longer any minimum standards and the goal of fighting poverty has been removed from the goals of the law. In this situation, some want to further cut social benefits for the poorest in the country. And disempower people with a blanket obligation to provide benefits in kind.
The data from Statistics Austria also shows how urgently there is a need for unemployment benefits that protect against crashes. Better, higher unemployment benefits protect you from falling into social welfare and prevent you from falling completely in difficult times.

Further development of the electricity cost brake into a basic energy security

The electricity cost brake, which will expire at the end of 2024, should be further developed into basic energy security. This guarantees every person a certain supply of energy as a basic right.

Affordable kindergarten places and good schools for every child

“Continue to expand elementary education and high-quality kindergartens and enable the best school for every child, for example with the comprehensive introduction of an opportunity index for socially disadvantaged school locations,” the Poverty Conference concludes by pointing out the need for action in education.

Questions & Contact:

The poverty conference.
www.armutskonferenz.at
01/4026944 or 0664/5445554