Every 13th person in Lucerne is poor: Education helps against poverty

New statistics provide information on the financial situation of the people of Lucerne. It is noticeable that although household income is increasing, wealth is unevenly distributed. The canton acts – and sets the right focus.

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The average household income of Lucerne residents is increasing. While it was 87,700 francs in 2010, it was 93,100 francs in the most recent survey four years ago.

And yet: The proportion of the Lucerne population affected by poverty has risen from 7.4 percent (as of 2010) to 7.5 percent. These are 29,300 people who cannot raise the necessary resources for living themselves or whose household income after deduction of social security contributions and taxes is below the social subsistence level.

After all, support funds such as social assistance helped more than half of those affected to get out of poverty. The Lucerne Government Council also sees this as the fact that these funds are necessary and will remain important in the future. But when it comes to preventing and fighting poverty, he pursues a different strategy – and focuses on higher educational opportunities and better job placement. He has already taken the first steps to do this.

That’s how it should be. Because those who have a higher educational qualification also have better chances of a higher income. Last but not least, many of the people who receive social assistance are unemployed. Supporting job seekers is therefore important. A point that, due to the current situation, will keep politicians busy next year.