A new report, 'Cuando trabajar no es suficiente', reveals that housing costs push 770,000 workers below the poverty line in . The total number of working poor has reached three million once rent, mortgages and taxes are deducted from income.
The study, based on 2024 data, shows the labour poverty rate rising from 11.48% to 15.49% after housing expenses. For those renting at market prices, the poverty rate jumps from 19.35% to 34.08%, while mortgage holders see an increase from 7.77% to 10.22%.
The poverty threshold is set at 60% of the median income, roughly 12,220 euros annually for a single person. These findings highlight that employment alone is no longer sufficient to avoid poverty, as housing costs now consume a critical share of worker wages.