The Statistics on Income and Living Conditions survey revealed that during 2012, the monetary at-risk-of-poverty rate stood at 15 per cent, the National Statistics Office said today.

Persons living in single parent households were found to be more susceptible to being at-risk-of-poverty. In fact, just under half these persons had an NEI below the at-risk-of- poverty line.

During the year under review, the average household gross income and the mean disposable income stood at €26,746 and €22,379 respectively. These figures were used for the computation of the median national equivalised income (NEI) and the monetary at-risk-of-poverty threshold. The latter rose by 5 per cent when compared to the previous year, reaching €6,869.

The survey showed that 61,689 persons living in private households, or 15 per cent, had an equivalised income below this threshold, and were considered to be at-risk-of-poverty. The S80/S20 ratio, which compares the earnings, in NEI, of the richest and poorest 20 per cent of the population, stood at 3.9.

The at-risk-of-poverty rate among persons aged under 18 stood at 23 per cent. This rate stood at 17 per cent for persons aged 65 and over.

A significant difference exists between households with and without dependent children. Figures stood at 20 and 11 per cent respectively.

The at-risk-of-poverty rate was found to decrease as household work intensity increased. When considering households with dependent children, this rate ranged from 71 per cent among households with 0 work intensity to 15 per cent among those with a work intensity between 0.5 and 0.9.

Over half of the surveyed population were living in households which claimed they could not afford to pay for a one-week annual holiday away from home. In addition, 25 per cent claimed that they could not afford to face unexpected financial expenses, while 22 per cent could not afford to keep their home adequately warm in winter. The severe material deprivation rate stood at 9 per cent.

The at-risk-of-poverty or social exclusion indicator takes into account the at-risk-of-poverty rate, the severe material deprivation rate and the share of persons living in households with very low work intensity. This indicator stood at 23 per cent in 2012.

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