The Ministry of Social Affairs proposes that the poverty line from January 1 next year be 443 euros. This is an increase of just over 52 euros compared to the current amount of 390.63 euros, informs the Bulgarian National Radio.
The higher poverty threshold will ensure that from January 1 next year the monthly benefits of almost 800 thousand people with permanent disabilities will increase. They are tied to the poverty threshold in different proportions according to the degree of incapacity for work recorded in the TELK decision.
Payments under the Social Assistance Act and the Child Protection Act are also determined according to the poverty line.
The poverty threshold is updated annually, using the EUROSTAT methodology for statistics on income and living conditions.
The proposed value of 443 euros is an increase of 13.4 percent and will expand the scope of socially assisted Bulgarians and reduce the number of poor people by 32 thousand people or 0.5 percent.
Currently, 1 million 369 thousand Bulgarians or 21.2 percent of the population live with incomes below this threshold.