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11 Million Spaniards at poverty risk with 30,000 already homeless

Date

23 Feb 2012

Sections

Social Europe & Jobs

Caritas Spain’s report on the country´s poverty has made national headlines after its launch has revealed these shocking figures

Brussels, 23 February 2012 - Spanish national papers are using the charity´s report to warn people of the gruesome situation. El Mundo says today ‘More than 11 million people under poverty risk in Spain’ while ABC is saying ‘Poverty, more intense than ever, has left 30,000 roofless so far’.

The report ‘Exclusion and Social Development 2012’ was launched yesterday by Caritas Spain and the ‘Foundation of Social Studies and Applied Sociology’ (FOESSA) in Caritas Spain´s headquarters.

The charity says 22% of Spanish homes are living under the poverty line. And 30% are facing serious difficulties in surviving to the end of the month and consume less meat or use less heating than bearable.

“There are more poor people than last year, and they are poorer,” said Caritas secretary general Sebastián Mora. “Poverty is more widespread, more intense, more chronic and it is creating a polarised society in which the difference between rich and poor is growing.

“If the walls of social restraint disappear, poverty will shoot up,” he said.

The report also says that homes of young adults are among those facing the most difficulties.

“Around 580,000 Spaniards, nearly 3.3% of the population, are not receiving a salary,” said the coordinator of studies of Caritas’ team Francisco Lorenzo.

And the country’s National Institute of Statistics says 30% of the population are facing serious problems to reach the end of the month and 42% cannot cope with unforeseen expenses.

Mr Lorenzo also said that there are 3.5 million uninhabited houses but 30,000 homeless. Citizens are using 34% of their budget for their mortgages and 7% of the population cannot pay their home expenses on time.

“The Church is doing all it can to help fight poverty and the Bishop’s Conference of Spain is going to donate 5 million Euros to Caritas Spain,” said Mr Mora. “But the Church needs to do much more.”.

For more information:


In Spain:

Marisa Salazar

msalazar.ssgg@caritas.es

Tel: +34 619.26.89.39

Caritas Spain

In Brussels:

Thorfinnur Omarsson

tomarsson@caritas-europa.org

Tel: +32 4 73341393

Caritas Europa