1.5 million Austrians are at risk of falling into poverty: Caritas has now asked the poorest how the situation has developed after Corona – the results in any case give cause to fear the worst.
Can you still put hot food on the table for your children, can you still heat your house or are you already deeply in debt? If the latter applies to you, then you belong to the 201,000 people in our country who are extra in the poverty trap.
Despite the recovery in the labor market, inflation and rising prices are driving more and more people out of society. The term “materially and socially disadvantaged” hides countless heartbreaking individual misadventures that are rarely heard of. Caritas is now giving those affected a voice and, together with the opinion research institute SORA, asked a total of 400 clients of its own social advice centers in Vienna and Lower Austria about their complex life situation in detail. The sad cornerstones of the current study:
- Almost 70 percent of the participants never thought they would ever be dependent on the help of Caritas, 76 percent cannot regularly put hot food on the table for themselves and their children.
- 85 percent of parents have to cut back on appropriate support for their children.
- More than two-thirds had to go into debt due to inflation.
Politicians demand long-term aid
The experts are not surprised by the results, the developments give food for thought: “We are no longer talking about individual cases, we are talking about a great many people who are suffering in an oppressive way from the consequences of price increases and inflation. Those affected will need help in the long term, and this requires social solidarity on the one hand and the welfare state on the other,” emphasizes Klaus Schwertner, director of the Archdiocese of Caritas in Vienna.
A situation that Ljubica Petrovic knows very well. The 40-year-old is unable to work full-time due to an injury and persistent pain. A church in Vienna gave her the opportunity to work part-time. The money she receives is no longer enough, as she emphasized in the “Krone” interview at the food distribution point in the Penzinger Karlingergasse.
Dozens of Viennese line up here on Thursdays to pick up essential groceries at low prices. According to Ljubica, there are more and more. According to her own statements, she has about 40 euros a week to take care of herself. Shopping, eating out or partying has not been possible for them – and many others – for a long time.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
