Nearly three million workers are living in poverty in Spain, according to Oxfam Intermón

Working poverty in Spain affects almost three million workers

Almost three million working people in Spain are in a situation of poverty, which means that the 13,7% of employed people live below the poverty line, despite the continuous increases in the Minimum Interprofessional Salary (SMI), labor reform or having historic employment figures and the lowest unemployment rate since 2008.

Oxfam Intermón Report

According to the report 'Working Poverty: When working is not enough to make ends meet' According to Oxfam Intermón, the sectors most affected by working poverty are the farming and housework, where three out of ten working people live in poverty despite having a job.

Likewise, sectors such as the hostelry and construction They also face this problem, affecting two out of every ten employed people in the country.

Another problem in the labour market affects all sectors of activity: one in four self-employed and part-time workers also lives in working poverty.

Impact on non-EU workers

In addition, almost the 30% of people born outside the European Union are in a situation of working poverty, almost double the national rate (13,7%) and 20 percentage points more than those born in Spain, with the country of origin being the demographic characteristic that has the most weight when explaining which people are most affected by working poverty.

Data by autonomous communities

By autonomous communities, Andalusia It is at the top of the labour poverty rate with a rate of 19,4%, completing the podium Estremadura (17,2%) and Castilla la Mancha (15,4%).

Impact of housing costs

The report also shows that the rising cost of housing and basic services has further aggravated the problem. Households in a situation of working poverty spend between 67% and 79% of their income to pay for housing and basic services.

In addition, four out of ten households with three or more minors in their care and three out of ten single-parent households - of which 75% They have a woman as an adult role model – they are in a situation of working poverty.

On the other hand, the study warns that dropping out of school worsens the situation. Thus, six out of ten people in working poverty would have liked to continue their studies, but the 54% was forced to abandon them due to lack of resources or the need to work to survive.

Cycle of inequality

“This cycle perpetuates inequality,” warns Oxfam Intermón, which also highlights that working poverty “leaves a significant emotional mark,” since these workers “are forced to live to work and not work to live” and to devote “entirely” their salaries to basic expenses, giving up any form of leisure and enjoyment of free time, which “strongly” impacts their mental health.

“We see the exhaustion and hopelessness of those who, despite having a job, cannot advance economically or enjoy a decent life,” stressed the person in charge of social protection and employment policies at Oxfam Intermón, Alejandro Garcia-Gil.

Resignations in access to health

In addition, more than half of households in working poverty (55,3%) has had to give up essential health services such as dental treatment, glasses or psychological support in the last year due to lack of resources.

Proposals from Oxfam Intermón

Faced with this situation, Oxfam Intermón proposes urgent measures to address this reality and improve the quality of jobs, offer broader social protection and reform the benefits system, so that the most vulnerable families are not left unprotected.

“It is not enough to create jobs: it is necessary to ensure that they are of quality and that they allow people to live with dignity. For many households, a salary is not enough if it is not accompanied by fair working conditions, access to decent housing and a robust social protection system that allows them to get ahead,” concludes García-Gil.