One in seven in north living under poverty line

One in seven people living in the north are surviving below the poverty line, according to figures released by the north’s Statistics Institute on Tuesday.

The figures released also showed that the bottom 20 per cent of earners take home just 6.7 per cent of total earnings in the north, while the top 20 per cent of earners take home 43.6 per cent.

In addition, just over a fifth of total household expenditure in the north was spent on housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuel expenditures, while a further fifth was spent on food and non-alcoholic drinks.

Figures released on the same day by the Cyprus Turkish public servants’ trade union (Ktams) show the north’s “hunger line” to be 17,472TL (€574) per month.

The number, which is based on what it costs to feed a family of four for a month, is over 10 per cent higher than the north’s minimum wage, which is currently set at 15,750TL (€517).