Every tenth household struggles with shortages and financial problems

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• In 2023, 6.3% of the Swiss population lived in households with at least two arrears, a significant increase compared to 2022 and almost at pre-pandemic levels.
• The poverty rate remained stable at 8.1%, but over 10% of the population are struggling with financial difficulties.
• Single people and single-parent households are particularly affected.
• Caritas is calling for political measures such as the expansion of premium reductions.

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The financial situation of many Swiss households has worsened following the coronavirus pandemic. According to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), 6.3% of the population lived in households with at least two types of arrears in 2023. This figure is almost as high as before the pandemic in 2019, but significantly higher than in 2022 , SRF reports.

The pandemic had restricted consumption, which led to a temporary improvement in the financial situation. However, as the pandemic came to an end, spending increased again, leading to an increase in financial bottlenecks. Satisfaction with the financial situation also fell, from 38.2% in 2021 to 30.3% in 2023.

Increase in income poverty

At 8.1 percent, the poverty rate remained almost unchanged in 2023 compared to 2022. People living alone, single-parent households and people without further education are particularly affected. The poverty threshold was CHF 2315 for single people and CHF 4051 for families with two children.

Despite the challenges, the standard of living in Switzerland remains one of the highest in Europe. Nevertheless, 10.1 percent of the population had difficulties making ends meet financially. Caritas warns of the worrying figures and calls for political measures.

Appeal to politicians

Caritas emphasizes the need for an effective poverty policy. The demand for social and debt counseling has increased and Caritas markets are seeing record numbers of purchases. The expansion of premium reductions must be implemented quickly in order to improve the situation.

The financial situation in Switzerland shows that despite a high standard of living, many people are struggling with economic difficulties. Politicians are called upon to combat poverty effectively and improve the living conditions of those affected.

The editor wrote this article with the help of AI.

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