High inflation is also increasingly affecting the middle class in Austria. Because the need is increasing, Caritas advocates a poverty-resistant social network.
“I have no wishes, I cannot afford to have wishes.” It is a phrase that is often heard today in the Caritas guidance centers and the number of studies has also increased enormously. The effects of price increases are now permeating the mainstream of society, and more than one in three can no longer afford to spend money.
heat or eat
“Many people are afraid of winter. There is simply no hole in the belt anymore. It is often about freezing or being in debt, about heating or food,” explains Caritas chairman Michael Landau. Weekly groceries have become 14.5 percent more expensive. After deducting fixed costs, needy people would spend an average of about nine euros a day. “As the need increases, so must the aid.”
1.4 million people are at risk of poverty
Caritas in Austria offers help in 71 places, in 2021 68,000 people could be supported. In many places, the federal government has also rolled up its sleeves, but “a rescue package must be deployed”. According to a Caritas report, 1.4 million households are currently at risk of poverty. “The one-off payments are important against this background, but we need long-term measures,” emphasizes Landau.
Don’t underestimate the social side
It is necessary to increase unemployment benefits and emergency aid. Caritas is demanding a fundamental reform of social assistance and an increase in minimum pensions above the at-risk-of-poverty threshold. Because: “The extra costs are mainly felt by those who have to fight anyway,” says Caritas Styria director Nora Tödtling-Musenbichler. Above all, the social side should not be underestimated. “That’s why reliable support is so important to support people.”
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
