COVID-19 pandemic sent another million people in Italy below the poverty line last year, according to a survey published on Thursday by ISTAT, AFP reports.
The number of those below this threshold has reached 5.6 million – a record in the last 15 years -, ie 9.4% of the population, compared to 7.7% in 2019.
The percentage far exceeds the poverty rate recorded at the beginning of the financial crisis in 2008 (3%).
Poverty growth has been particularly sharp in the rich north of Italy, where 720,000 people have become among those whose monthly spending is below the threshold considered minimal in terms of living conditions.
In the north, the poverty rate reached 9.4% compared to 6.8% in 2019.
Absolute poverty line differs in Italy from one region to another, going from 839.75 euro / month for a single person in a northern metropolitan area to 566.49 euro / month in a small southern town.
The south keeps the highest percentage of people below the poverty line, 11.1% of the population compared to 10.1% in 2019.
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