21% of the Spanish population is under the poverty line, and three out of ten homes have difficulties in reaching the end of the month, according to the National Statistics Institute, INE. Four out of ten homes say they have no capacity to meet unexpected costs. 30.4% say they have difficulty in reaching the end of the month and payday, while 13% describe it as great difficulty.
The revelations come in the Life Conditions Survey which considers that someone is below the poverty line when their income is less than 60% of the average income across the country. The INE says the percentage, 21% is more than a point higher than a year ago, and the rate among the over 65’s has reached 24.6%.
Average income in Spanish homes reached 25,732 € in 2009, 2.9% down on 2008, and the average income per person was 9,627 €, down 2.4% on 2008.