The latest survey of living conditions by the National Statistics Institute points to the impact of the pandemic in indicating that more than 200,000 people in the Balearics ended 2021 with serious financial problems. The percentage at risk of poverty was 17.6%. In 2020, this figure was 14.1%; in 2019, 12%. As well as the pandemic, there was the onset of inflation in 2021.
The risk of poverty does not measure absolute poverty but how many people have low incomes in relation to the population as a whole. There are families who are not at risk of poverty but who are in a situation of severe material deprivation. This means that there are problems being able to afford various things, e.g. not being able to take a holiday, being unable to keep the home at a suitable temperature, not eating meat, not meeting unforeseen expenses.
For the calculation, consideration is also given to whether people can afford to buy new clothes to replace ones that have been damaged; if they have at least two pairs of shoes in good condition; if they can meet friends for a drink at least once a month; and if they can connect to the internet.
In the Balearics, 2.9% of the population can't afford a meal of meat or fish once a week and a further 4.6% can't afford the cost of having their own car.