In 2022, over 95.3 million people in the EU (22% of the population) were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, meaning they experienced at least one of the three risks of poverty and social exclusion: poverty, severe material deprivation and social, or living in a family with very low income from work, Eurostat announced this Wednesday. 

In Albania, this indicator is twice as high, since according to internal data from INSTAT, in 2021 about 44% of the population of Albania was at risk of poverty and social exclusion, the highest percentage in the EU and in the region. 

The proportion of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion varies between EU countries. Albania leads Europe for this indicator, as almost half of its population is at risk of poverty. 

The indicator may have further deteriorated in 2022 due to the negative effects that the war in Ukraine had on price growth. The highest values of the population at risk of poverty were reported in Romania (34%), Bulgaria (32%), Greece and Spain (both 26%). On the other hand, the lowest percentages were recorded in the Czech Republic (12%), Slovenia (13%) and Poland (16%). 

The risk of poverty and social exclusion does not depend entirely on the income level of a family, as it can also reflect unemployment, low-income work, etc. 

People who are at risk of poverty have incomes below the poverty risk threshold. Whereas persons suffering from severe material and social deprivation cannot afford at least seven of thirteen items (six related to the individual and seven related to the family) that ensure an adequate quality of life. 

Over a fifth of the EU population living in households with dependent children was at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2022, while in Albania half of it, increasing further in 2021 to 43.9%, against 43.4% estimated in 2020. 

INSTAT has clarified that social benefits, such as old-age and family pensions, included in disposable family income, affect the reduction of the risk of being poor. 

If all types of social benefits were not included in the income level, the risk of being poor in 2021 is estimated at 39.0% compared to 25.2% that is estimated if the benefits were included in the income level social only from old-age and family pensions. 

In Albania, the risk of poverty and social exclusion in families without dependent children is estimated to be lower compared to families with dependent children, respectively 12.8% and 25.9% of individuals. 

Families with dependent children are considered those families that have children under the age of 18 as well as persons aged 18 to 24 who live with at least one parent and are economically inactive.

(Source: Monitor)