Poverty does not spare the Jura residents. Around 11,000 people, or 15% of the population, are statistically poor or at risk of poverty. The canton wants to act on the non-use of social benefits to correct the situation.
“Today, there are too many residents of the Jura affected by poverty and this is not acceptable,” said Minister Nathalie Barthoulot when presenting the 2021 social report on Friday May 13. “This forces us to take measures to allow to get these people out of this situation of poverty,” added the elected socialist.
About 10% of the Jura population can be considered as living in poverty and an additional 5% is at risk of falling into poverty, according to this report. There are thus 7,000 people who are statistically in a situation of poverty and a little less than 4,000 who live in living conditions just above the poverty line.
More than elsewhere
The comparison of the Jura figures with the values recorded in other cantons suggests that poverty is a little more widespread in the Jura than elsewhere in Switzerland. For the authorities, this result does not come as a surprise, as it is in line with other indicators such as the level of wages.
These figures challenge the Jura government, which notes that many people are entitled to social benefits, but do not access them. The absolute poverty rate is regarding four times higher than welfare rates. This situation leads to a deterioration in the living conditions of a section of the population.