The national statistics agency said this was down from 25.2 per cent in 2021.
It said the proportion of the population living in conditions of serious deprivation dropped to 4.5 per cent in 2022 from 5.9 per cent in 2021, thanks to the recovery of economic activity after the pandemic and increases in employment and income levels.
Istat said that Italy’s wealthy households earned 5.6 times more than the poorest families in 2021.
The agency said this ratio was stable with respect to 2020.
It said the ratio in favour of wealthy families would have been even higher, with them earning 6.4 times more in 2021, without State income-support measures for the poor.
Istat said the average Italian household’s income was €33,798 in 2021, up 3 per cent in nominal terms and 1 per cent in real terms.
ANSA
