Millions of Germans are employed, but not earning enough to pay their bills or adequately heat their homes, according to the latest EU figures.
Citing data from a European Union study, Germany’s Federal Statistics Office on October 31 presented figures showing that one in five people in Germany was threatened by poverty or other forms of social exclusion in 2017.
Germany’s Federal Statistics Office reported on Wednesday, citing data from a European Union study.
As reported by Deutsche Welle (DW), Germany’s international broadcaster, some 15.5 million people were at risk, which amounts to 19% of the population. But the figure is down slightly from the previous year, which found that 19.7% were threatened by poverty. Women across all age groups were found to be particularly at risk compared to men.
Germany’s results are still lower than the EU average, which was 22.5%. The figures are particularly concerning as Germany has some of the lowest food and energy costs in the bloc and is experiencing a historically low unemployment rate.
According to DW, Verena Bentele, the president of the social welfare association VdK Germany, said the results of the EU study were “scandalous”, particularly in light of the country’s current “economic boom”.
