For the first time in 10 years, there has been a drop in poverty and people at risk of social exclusion, the government said today in a statement.

NSO statistics show that the rate dropped by 0.2 per cent to 23.8 per cent.

The government said that under the previous administration, the rate climbed from 20.1 per cent to 24 per cent, which amounts to an 18,000 person increase.

The government pointed out that the previous administration was actually obliged to reduce this rate by 6,560 people as part of the European Union’s efforts to fight poverty and social exclusion.

The rate of youngsters under the age of 18 who are at risk of poverty reduced to 31 per cent the 32 per cent registered in the previous NSO study.

EU statistics show that this rate actually went up from 25 per cent to 32 per cent under the Nationalist administration, the government said.

The amount of pensions at risk of poverty also fell from 22.5 per cent to 21.8 per cent

The NSO statistics show that families have more disposable income, with a 5.2 per cent increase to €1,232

Further measures to combat poverty will be introduced in the next budget, the government said.