The latest data from Eurostat has revealed that 17.6 per cent of Cypriots in 2020 were at risk of poverty and social exclusion, below the EU average of 21.9 per cent.

But Cyprus fared worse for those aged 65 and above, with 22.5 per cent at risk of poverty while in the EU this stood at 20.4 per cent.

EU countries most at risk was Romania (35.8 per cent), Bulgaria (33.6 per cent) and Greece (27.5 per cent). The lowest percentages were recorded in Czechia (11.5 per cent), Slovakia (13.8 per cent) and Slovenia (14.3 per cent).