Recent data from Statistik Austria shows that single parents are particularly affected by increasing financial pressures, especially around Christmas, with many facing a more strained situation compared to the previous year.

Social expert Martin Schenk emphasizes that single parents with their children are especially vulnerable to poverty, which is exacerbated by recent cuts and rising prices.

It is becoming increasingly difficult for single parents to pay rent or buy groceries towards the end of the month. People with disabilities and chronic illnesses are also heavily affected.

A study involving nearly 4,000 Austrians found that around 90 percent of the population feel their financial situation has worsened or remained unchanged, with those experiencing income losses or low incomes reporting the greatest decline.

The main reasons for financial deterioration include rising food prices, higher housing and energy costs, as well as job losses and company bankruptcies.

The Vienna Volkshilfe warns that the gap between rich and poor is widening and calls for wealth taxation, noting that less than one percent of taxes in Austria come from wealth.

Source