ONE IN FIVE people in Ireland are living below the poverty line after their housing costs are factored in, according to a study from think-tank Social Justice Ireland.
The study estimates that the “real” number of people living in poverty here is 952,185, or just under 20% of the population, as the poverty rate when housing costs were excluded was 11.6%.
Some 41.6% of renters are at risk of poverty after housing payments, the study found. For households in receipt of rent subsidies, the poverty rate after rent payments is 59.1%.
The report, titled Housing Costs and Poverty 2022, analyses the impact of housing costs – mortgage interest and rent – on the poverty rates of various household types in 2021.
It also used data from the Central Statistics Office to determine where the poverty line was in Ireland last year. Weekly social assistance payments for single people, for example, were €83.51 below the poverty line, it said.
It also found that the urban-rural poverty gap widened last year: “Rural Ireland faces significant challenges in the areas of job creation and service provision for an ageing population.”
Social Justice Ireland said the country is experiencing an “affordability crisis”. Colette Bennett, an Economic and Social Analyst at the think tank, said that “far from supporting families out of poverty, housing subsidies are so inadequate as to be allowing greater numbers into it.
“One in five tenants in the private rented sector are subsidised through the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP); that does not include tenants in the Rental Accommodation Scheme or those on Rent Supplement. Yet despite huge Government spending on these subsidies, the need for additional rent payments, or ‘top ups’ are driving increases in poverty.
“It is essential that Government increase spending on actually building social homes instead of relying on and subsidising a dysfunctional private rented sector.”
The report also detailed the issue of poverty risk among retirees. It said: “As housing becomes increasingly unaffordable, and the number of people renting into older age increases, it is important that adequate income is assured post-retirement.”
Social Justice Ireland has proposed an equity scheme for long-term mortgage arrears which would see the government pay the equity amount directly to the mortgage lender, decreasing the amount owed by the borrower.
Meanwhile, a new popularity poll over the weekend places sinn féin leading on ffg combined
The rental crisis/not being able to afford a house is the only thing I will give a shit about when it comes to the next election. I hope the electorate bury any party responsible for sitting on their hands while an entire generation pays 50% or more of their income to rent.
You’d be suprised with the amount of money people get off the government
Probably a lot more people under this line. Inflation is 9% and when factoring in fuel costs it increases day-to-day costs a lot.
Why *wouldn’t* housing costs be factored in?
Only 1/5. I’d have said far more.
They’ll just lower the poverty line. What’s that, you’ve no money for food? Sure haven’t you a hat on your head? Think about the real poor with no hats eh.
Now add in rising fuel costs, rising food costs, stupidly expensive insurance, other bills etc etc. it’s a miracle any normal person has any money at all in this country. All while the government continually actively vote against helping people. It’s really depressing and it’s draining the life out of me as it gets worse.
The other 4/5ths are queueing at Dublin Airport
But, but, the HDI?
This doesn’t surprise me at all and I imagine it will increase dramatically through the end of the year.
If this is what it’s like when it’s one of the fastest growing economies in Europe at the moment.
Is there a point to economic growth if it doesn’t improve society? I don’t think anyone is anti-growth, but the pro-growth dogma is so trenchant that it won’t harbour any discussion as to what it’s all for or if it is necessarily productive to our societies improvement.
If growth can’t put rent on the table, and poverty is growing…then just what is the point? It’s not giving us an amazing health service, Ukrainian’s are actually in shock at how bad our public transport system is…so just what is the benefit of this amazing economy if it can’t lift all boats, provide amazing services, or even prevent poverty?
What a fucking disgrace. If 20% of people being under the poverty line when housing is considered, 10,000 people homeless and pretty much zero government action outside of hoping the market will correct in a few years, what will be enough for us to say this really isn’t ok?
so how much is it that Im supposed to be earning to be considered below the poverty line?
Here’s an idea, why don’t we bring in tens of thousands of more people every week so the government can get brownie points with Brussels for being so progressive. Meanwhile the Irish youth can stay living at home until they’re forty when they might be able to afford to buy a one bed apartment.
I wonder how many people wouldn’t be living in poverty if housing was cheaper?
[deleted]
Jesus fucking good god the country is falling a part by the day and we are just letting it happen. We are constantly told we are one of the richest nations on earth. Get this bs’ers out!
We need to build more houses. I don’t care who does it, or how; just keep building more houses. All of the problems in Irish society today are caused by inadequate housing. Our government has shown they are only kind of interested in building more houses, but it’s not a high priority for them.
The housing crisis should be our **number 1 priority** in this country, but it isn’t, and now 1 in 5 (and counting) people in this country are in poverty. At what point do we say enough is enough?
I’ve been working for 5 years and I am no more than a months paycheck away from poverty. I have to move home with my aging parents, one of whom is terminally ill, because there is literally nowhere else to live.
I thought I’d be spending my late 20s saving up for a mortgage and putting a downpayment on my first house and starting my family. Instead I get to watch the people I love die around me and my friends succumb to substance abuse because this country has nothing left to offer them.
I’m done.
[deleted]
And they also missed their flights at Dublin Airport
Only one fifth… I find that hard to believe.
honestly, this highlights the issues with housing and how if the situation was better we could be such a livable lovely country
26 comments
ONE IN FIVE people in Ireland are living below the poverty line after their housing costs are factored in, according to a study from think-tank Social Justice Ireland.
The study estimates that the “real” number of people living in poverty here is 952,185, or just under 20% of the population, as the poverty rate when housing costs were excluded was 11.6%.
Some 41.6% of renters are at risk of poverty after housing payments, the study found. For households in receipt of rent subsidies, the poverty rate after rent payments is 59.1%.
The report, titled Housing Costs and Poverty 2022, analyses the impact of housing costs – mortgage interest and rent – on the poverty rates of various household types in 2021.
It also used data from the Central Statistics Office to determine where the poverty line was in Ireland last year. Weekly social assistance payments for single people, for example, were €83.51 below the poverty line, it said.
It also found that the urban-rural poverty gap widened last year: “Rural Ireland faces significant challenges in the areas of job creation and service provision for an ageing population.”
Social Justice Ireland said the country is experiencing an “affordability crisis”. Colette Bennett, an Economic and Social Analyst at the think tank, said that “far from supporting families out of poverty, housing subsidies are so inadequate as to be allowing greater numbers into it.
“One in five tenants in the private rented sector are subsidised through the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP); that does not include tenants in the Rental Accommodation Scheme or those on Rent Supplement. Yet despite huge Government spending on these subsidies, the need for additional rent payments, or ‘top ups’ are driving increases in poverty.
“It is essential that Government increase spending on actually building social homes instead of relying on and subsidising a dysfunctional private rented sector.”
The report also detailed the issue of poverty risk among retirees. It said: “As housing becomes increasingly unaffordable, and the number of people renting into older age increases, it is important that adequate income is assured post-retirement.”
Social Justice Ireland has proposed an equity scheme for long-term mortgage arrears which would see the government pay the equity amount directly to the mortgage lender, decreasing the amount owed by the borrower.
Meanwhile, a new popularity poll over the weekend places sinn féin leading on ffg combined
The rental crisis/not being able to afford a house is the only thing I will give a shit about when it comes to the next election. I hope the electorate bury any party responsible for sitting on their hands while an entire generation pays 50% or more of their income to rent.
You’d be suprised with the amount of money people get off the government
Probably a lot more people under this line. Inflation is 9% and when factoring in fuel costs it increases day-to-day costs a lot.
Why *wouldn’t* housing costs be factored in?
Only 1/5. I’d have said far more.
They’ll just lower the poverty line. What’s that, you’ve no money for food? Sure haven’t you a hat on your head? Think about the real poor with no hats eh.
Now add in rising fuel costs, rising food costs, stupidly expensive insurance, other bills etc etc. it’s a miracle any normal person has any money at all in this country. All while the government continually actively vote against helping people. It’s really depressing and it’s draining the life out of me as it gets worse.
The other 4/5ths are queueing at Dublin Airport
But, but, the HDI?
This doesn’t surprise me at all and I imagine it will increase dramatically through the end of the year.
If this is what it’s like when it’s one of the fastest growing economies in Europe at the moment.
Is there a point to economic growth if it doesn’t improve society? I don’t think anyone is anti-growth, but the pro-growth dogma is so trenchant that it won’t harbour any discussion as to what it’s all for or if it is necessarily productive to our societies improvement.
If growth can’t put rent on the table, and poverty is growing…then just what is the point? It’s not giving us an amazing health service, Ukrainian’s are actually in shock at how bad our public transport system is…so just what is the benefit of this amazing economy if it can’t lift all boats, provide amazing services, or even prevent poverty?
What a fucking disgrace. If 20% of people being under the poverty line when housing is considered, 10,000 people homeless and pretty much zero government action outside of hoping the market will correct in a few years, what will be enough for us to say this really isn’t ok?
so how much is it that Im supposed to be earning to be considered below the poverty line?
Here’s an idea, why don’t we bring in tens of thousands of more people every week so the government can get brownie points with Brussels for being so progressive. Meanwhile the Irish youth can stay living at home until they’re forty when they might be able to afford to buy a one bed apartment.
I wonder how many people wouldn’t be living in poverty if housing was cheaper?
[deleted]
Jesus fucking good god the country is falling a part by the day and we are just letting it happen. We are constantly told we are one of the richest nations on earth. Get this bs’ers out!
We need to build more houses. I don’t care who does it, or how; just keep building more houses. All of the problems in Irish society today are caused by inadequate housing. Our government has shown they are only kind of interested in building more houses, but it’s not a high priority for them.
The housing crisis should be our **number 1 priority** in this country, but it isn’t, and now 1 in 5 (and counting) people in this country are in poverty. At what point do we say enough is enough?
I’ve been working for 5 years and I am no more than a months paycheck away from poverty. I have to move home with my aging parents, one of whom is terminally ill, because there is literally nowhere else to live.
I thought I’d be spending my late 20s saving up for a mortgage and putting a downpayment on my first house and starting my family. Instead I get to watch the people I love die around me and my friends succumb to substance abuse because this country has nothing left to offer them.
I’m done.
[deleted]
And they also missed their flights at Dublin Airport
Only one fifth… I find that hard to believe.
honestly, this highlights the issues with housing and how if the situation was better we could be such a livable lovely country
That is horrific.
Thanks now i know I live below poverty line