The social situation in Lower Austria 2010

February 2010, Andreas Höferl, Barbara Hauenschild, Susanne Halmer, 33 pages

The gap between poverty and wealth is widening - also in Lower Austria. About 170,000 people or 11 % of the population are at risk of poverty. Of this number, about 96,000 people are living in manifest poverty. Work does less and less protect against poverty. 67,000 people are living as “working poor” and are at risk of poverty in spite of gainful employment. Even though for a third of the population social benefits and pensions represent their main source of income, these are not sufficient. Unemployment benefits, social benefits, compensatory allowances and social assistance levels are below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold. At the same time, there are also changes at the other end of the social scale, as the number of Lower Austrians on a high income (over 200 % of the average income) has increased by 31 % by 2008 - in only six years.

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