A survey by Japan's health ministry indicates that millions of low-income households may be living without welfare, although they are eligible for it.
The ministry released results of the survey of about 23,000 households on Friday.
Based on the results, nearly 2.3 million households are estimated to have after-tax income and savings below the threshold for welfare recipients.
Whether these people own houses or have other assets is unknown. But if none of them are receiving benefits despite meeting the criteria, this would mean that only 32 percent of eligible households are receiving welfare.
About 45 percent of the 2.3 million are single-person households. 42 percent of them are elderly.
23 percent of the total are families with children, and 4 out of 10 are single-mother households.
The health ministry says it will ask local governments to properly apply the criteria so eligible people can receive benefits
2010年4月10日土曜日
2010年1月10日日曜日
Record 1.28 mil Japanese families live on welfare
A Japanese government survey has found the number of households dependent on welfare benefits hit a record high in October last year.
The welfare ministry says over 1.28 million households received welfare benefits in October, up more than 14,000 from the previous month.
The increase was roughly broken down into about 3,000 elderly households, 1,200 single-mother households, and 1,000 families whose income earners have disabilities. But 5,600 other households, the largest group, included many whose providers had lost jobs.
The number of individual welfare recipients also surged to 1.77 million, up more than 20,000 from the month before.
During the year through last October, the number of households dependent on welfare benefits rose by more than 130,000 or 11.7 percent. The same period saw the number of individuals who received welfare benefits increase by more than 180,000 or 1.5 percent.
The ministry says it will take measures to address the worsening employment situation and stem the rise in the number of welfare recipients.
The welfare ministry says over 1.28 million households received welfare benefits in October, up more than 14,000 from the previous month.
The increase was roughly broken down into about 3,000 elderly households, 1,200 single-mother households, and 1,000 families whose income earners have disabilities. But 5,600 other households, the largest group, included many whose providers had lost jobs.
The number of individual welfare recipients also surged to 1.77 million, up more than 20,000 from the month before.
During the year through last October, the number of households dependent on welfare benefits rose by more than 130,000 or 11.7 percent. The same period saw the number of individuals who received welfare benefits increase by more than 180,000 or 1.5 percent.
The ministry says it will take measures to address the worsening employment situation and stem the rise in the number of welfare recipients.
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