Finland Times

 

Number of persons at risk of poverty, 1987 to 2012*. Source: Statistics Finland.

The number of persons at risk of poverty decreased by around 70,000 in 2012, said the Statistics Finland.

 

The preliminary data of Statistics Finland's income distribution said that approximately 635,000 persons belonged to households whose disposable monetary income per consumption unit was below 60 per cent of the national average income in the year, according to the statistics.

 

The at-risk-of-poverty rate was 11.9 per cent, which was 1.3 percentage points lower than in 2011.

 

Households' median income and the at-risk-of-poverty threshold calculated based on it, as well as the median income of persons at risk of poverty have remained in real terms roughly at the same level in the past few years, only the number of persons at risk of poverty has decreased. The at-risk-of-poverty threshold was EUR 13,990 in 2012.

 

At-risk-of-poverty rate decreased in all age groups last year apart from those aged 25 to 34, whose poverty risk remained unchanged, the data reveals.

 

Examining the time after 2005, poverty risk of those aged 65 or over has particularly decreased.

 

Poverty risk among those aged 75 or over decreased most clearly, according to the preliminary data.

 

Poverty risk is, however, still highest among people aged 75 or over and under 25.

 

Under 18-year-old children belonging to low income households as a proportion of all under 18-year-olds was 9.4 per cent in 2012 and 11.1 per cent in 2011.

 

The at-risk-of-poverty rate also decreased compared with 2011 when using tighter income criteria.

 

There were around 290,000 persons whose household's disposable monetary income per consumption unit was lower than 50 per cent of the equivalent median monetary income of all households in 2012.

 

When asked whether the household's income is sufficient to cover normal expenses, fewer low income households than before had difficulties making their ends meet.

 

The assessments concerning the sufficiency of income among other households also improved to some degree, the data establishes.