BES/AR announced: Hunger and poverty thresholds are rising

According to the BES/AR research, the hunger threshold has risen to 17 thousand 215 TL, and the poverty threshold to 50 thousand 750 TL.

Based on calculations using food item prices, the monthly expenditure amount that a civil servant family of four must set aside for healthy nutrition, i.e., the hunger threshold, has been determined as 17 thousand 215 TL. According to the research, while the cost of living for a single employee is calculated at 23 thousand 311 TL, the poverty threshold—which is the total amount of food expenditures, clothing, housing (rent, electricity, water, fuel), transportation, education, health, and other mandatory monthly expenses—has emerged as 50 thousand 750 TL.

According to the data, compared to the same month of the previous year, the hunger threshold increased by 100.88 percent, the poverty threshold by 81.77 percent, and the cost of living by 101.51 percent. BES/AR stated that the cost of healthy nutrition exceeds 573 liras per day, noting the following:

"Even if all 4 members of a family of 4 were working for minimum wage, the total income received remains below the poverty threshold. The Central Bank announced its inflation forecast for 2024 as 73 percent in May, and the government announced it as 15.2 percent for 2025 in the Medium-Term Program (OVP). The government has proposed salary increases even lower than its own inflation expectations, with a 25 percent offer for 2024 and a total of 11 percent for 2025. At this rate, the minimum wage will remain below the hunger threshold in 2024 as well. The lowest pension of 7 thousand 500 TL is less than even half of the hunger threshold. In metropolitan cities, public employees are forced to pay almost 75-80 percent of their salaries for rent to meet their housing needs. As the Office Workers' Union, we insist on our demand for a wage that allows all public employees, minimum wage earners, and retirees to live humanely."

News Source: 12punto