Poverty in Italy

Istat disseminates the relative and absolute poverty estimations for the households residing in Italy, based on 2012 Households Budget Survey data. Being sample estimations, they are affected by sampling error: small differences can be not statistically significant.

In 2012 the relative poverty incidence was equal to 12.7%, whereas the absolute poverty to 6.8%. Taking into account the sampling error, the phenomenon increased in comparison with 2011 in all the geographical areas.

The relative poverty threshold, for a two-member household, was equal to 990.88 Euros (about 20 euros less compared with 2011 threshold).

Absolute poverty increased among households with three (from 4.7% to 6.6%), four (from 5.2% to 8.3%) and five or more members (from 12.3% to 17.2%); among couples with three or more children- the incidence from 10.4% increased to 16.2% – especially if the children are minors (from 10.9% to 17.1%). The absolute poverty increased among single parents (from 5.8% to 9.1%) and households with aggregate members (from 10.4% to 13.3%).

The condition worsened, in terms of absolute poverty, for households having as reference person a worker (from 7.5% to 9.4%), a self employed worker (from 4.2% to 6%), a manager or an employee (from 1.3% to 2.6%) and for households with employed and retired members (from 3.6% to 5.3%).