Tackling In-Work Poverty across Europe
In-work poverty remains a persistent challenge across Europe. In 2023, 8.3% of employed people in the EU were considered as working poor, with significant disparities between Member States. In some countries, as many as 1 in 7 workers find themselves in in-work poverty, struggling to make ends meet. While the issue has gained more attention in recent policy discussions, it is often mistakenly framed as a problem that can be solved solely by increasing wages. However, academic research highlights that while wages play a crucial role, household dynamics and structural factors are equally—if not more—decisive. Eurodiaconia members actively support the working poor by providing targeted services and diverse measures of support while advocating for decent working conditions and adequate social protection.
This policy paper, “Precarious Work, Precarious Lives – Responses To In-Work Poverty” by Eurodiaconia, examines the root causes and consequences of in-work poverty in Europe while providing concrete recommendations to address the problem. It explores the multifaced and interlinked drivers of in-work poverty, including low levels of skills, inadequate wages, and involuntary part-time work. Additionally, it also examines household-related factors such as work intensity, the impact of dependent children, and the situation of single-parent and large families. Furthermore, structural elements—including access to affordable childcare and long-term care, the effectiveness of social protection systems, and labour market policies—are discussed.
Call for action
The consequences of in-work poverty are severe. Individuals and families affected often face poor housing conditions, a heightened risk of material deprivation, and increased levels of stress, anxiety, and feelings of depression. Eurodiaconia’s members are at the forefront of providing crucial support services, including food aid, family counselling, and housing assistance. However, despite these efforts, greater political commitment is essential to combat in-work poverty.
Eurodiaconia therefore call on the European Union and its Member States to
- Systemically include in-work poverty in all efforts to combat poverty
- Emphasise upskilling, reskilling, and access to quality jobs, with a focus on rights-based and person-centred approaches
- Improve access to childcare and long-term care facilities of high quality, available and affordable for all
- Strengthen social service providers through sustainable and adequate funding
- Fully implement the directive on adequate minimum wages
- Strengthen social protection schemes
Current developments: Adequate minimum wages must be ensured
The Advocate General of the European Court of Justice recently issued an opinion on the directive concerning adequate minimum wages, arguing that the Court should annul the directive in its entirety due to its alleged incompatibility with EU law. A detailed analysis is available here. We firmly urge the Court to uphold the Council directive and safeguard the right to adequate minimum wages for all workers across the European Union.
