Catalina Espinosa
Research expert covering society, economy, and politics for Europe and the EU
Poverty in Spain - statistics & facts
During the last decade, the share of the population at risk of poverty in Spain has remained constant around 21 percent, recording its worst figures between 2014 and 2016. The relation between poverty and employment is inevitable, as the greatest part of disposable income derives from wages. Therefore, the chronic high unemployment rate that affects the Spanish economy is one of the main reasons behind its poverty issues, together with problems such as high rates of early school leaving, job insecurity, low salaries, and an inadequate social protection net.
Roughly 55 percent of unemployed people were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in Spain in 2023. This problem is particularly acute in the case of migrants from outside the EU and individuals with low education.
In Spain, the risk of poverty especially affects the unemployed population and targets men and women differently: while young men are at a higher risk than young women, after the age of 30 women are more susceptible to poverty than men in the same age group. More efficient social measures to combat this issue are needed, so that Spain’s poverty rate stops being one of the highest recorded in OECD countries.
Roughly 55 percent of unemployed people were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in Spain in 2023. This problem is particularly acute in the case of migrants from outside the EU and individuals with low education.
Material deprivation
One of the most worrisome consequences of poverty is material deprivation, that is, the inability to afford the consumption of goods and activities necessary for an acceptable standard of living. Many households, therefore, cut costs where they can, for instance in food consumption. The issue of food insecurity has worsened in recent years, and the share of population that experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in the Mediterranean country was estimated at seven percent between 2021 and 2023. Energy poverty is another important concern, as almost 21 percent of the Spanish population lives in households which cannot afford to keep the dwelling at an adequate temperature.The welfare state
Spain was a latecomer among democratic welfare states in Europe, since its current welfare regime did not emerge until the democratic transition in the late 1970s. While insufficient, the Spanish welfare state relies heavily on universal social rights, particularly education and health, and social benefits directed mainly towards retired, unemployed, and disabled persons. Distributive policies play a major role enforcing a fairer distribution of wealth and protecting the poor. Besides the national minimum wage, which increased from 600 euros to over 1,100 euros a month between 2008 and 2024, the Minimum Vital Income came into existence in June 2020 to improve the social protection net. Four years later, there were over 1.7 million recipients of this non-contributory benefit from the Social Security, a benefit which aims at helping people or household units at risk of poverty and social exclusion.In Spain, the risk of poverty especially affects the unemployed population and targets men and women differently: while young men are at a higher risk than young women, after the age of 30 women are more susceptible to poverty than men in the same age group. More efficient social measures to combat this issue are needed, so that Spain’s poverty rate stops being one of the highest recorded in OECD countries.
