UK vs EU poverty
If you have been wondering why so many Poles who were in the UK went back home -
"Poland, Czechia and Slovenia have lowest risk of poverty in Europe"
UK
14.4 million - 22% - in relative poverty after housing costs are factored in
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn07096/
EU average - 21.6%, almost the same
However -
"Czech Republic, Slovenia and Poland boasted the lowest rates, with 12 percent, 13 percent, and 16 percent, respectively"
(Tho incomes appear low vs Western Europe or the UK, living costs are greatly lower.)
"Romania had the highest proportion, with 34.4 percent of its population at risk, followed by Bulgaria at 32.2 percent and Greece at 26.3 percent"
https://rmx.news/poland/poland-czechia-and-slovenia-with-lowest-risk-of-poverty-in-the-eu/
Czechia, Poland and Slovenia all benefit from a decently high level of jobs available, being adjacent to the German-Austrian economic machine ... to such a point that there is less poverty in Czechia etc than in Germany itself ... given the 'sweet spot' of much-lower living costs despite lower wage levels
ReplyDeleteBut that will slowly unravel with the higher energy costs of 'Russia sanctions' hitting German-EU industry
Interesting too that these Slavic lands do better than Scandinavia, which in fact have some 'quiet poverty' not much discussed, given high prices
Sad that the 'rich world' doesn't do better than a fifth or more of its people having it rough