Z. Čaputová: Three hundred thousand people cannot keep warm in their house. We need a new social benefit – TVNOVINY.sk

President Zuzana Čaputová met with economists and sociologists at a round table. They debated economic development in Slovakia. Čaputová stated that according to estimates, the increase in prices will continue this year and should stop during the next year 2022. A large part of Slovakia should not be significantly affected. However, the rise in prices will hit roughly around 800,000 people living on the brink of poverty.

These are mainly multi-child families with three or more children, single people and pensioners. The president also said that up to 300,000 people have trouble keeping warm in their homes.

She also mentioned the concept of working poverty. These are people who, although they work, live on the brink of poverty. She also talked to experts about the solutions that the state should implement. They suggested that the state increase the housing allowance that is paid to people in material need today. According to Čaputová, the list of recipients should be extended to low-income workers.

It also proposes a new type of benefit that would compensate for the so-called energy poverty.