Over 3 Mln Belarusians Cannot Afford Minimum Set Of Goods, Services

The number of poor people in the country has been growing for the third year in a row.

For the third subsequent year, the number of those who cannot afford a minimum set of goods and services has been growing in Belarus. So, last year in the country there were 3 million 10.3 thousand people (or almost 34% of the total population of the country), the average per capita disposable resources of whom did not exceed the minimum consumer budget per one family member of four people per month - BYN 317, 72.

These data are presented in the Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Belarus, 2018, reports tut.by.

The minimum consumer budget represents the cost of acquiring a set of consumer goods and services to meet the basic physiological and socio-cultural needs of a person. The MCB is used as a social standard to predict changes in the standard of living of the population and to increase social support for those in need.

When calculating the average per capita resource (income), the total amount of income is taken and divided by the population. All citizens are counted, including the unemployed, pensioners, minors.

For comparison: in 2016, average per capita disposable resources of 2 million 719.2 thousand Belarusians did not exceed the monthly MCB per family member of four people, in 2015 it were 2 million 112 thousand people, and in 2014 - 1 million 691.9 thousand people.

We remind, last year, the population with the average per capita disposable resources below the subsistence minimum budget amounted to 528.1 thousand people (in 2016 - 498.5 thousand). Their average per capita disposable resources were below the subsistence budget per capita per month - BYN 192.4.

The number of poor people in Belarus has been growing for the third year in a row.