Poverty levels in Bulgaria deteriorated in 2024 compared to the previous year, with the number of people living in poverty rising to 1.401 million, accounting for 21.7% of the population. This information comes from the government’s recently adopted action plan under the National Poverty Reduction Strategy.

In response to the worsening situation, the plan outlines measures aimed at decreasing the proportion of inactive and long-term unemployed individuals, improving access to quality healthcare and social services, and expanding enrollment in compulsory preschool and school education. Efforts will also focus on reducing school dropout rates and early school leaving.

The Ministry of Social Affairs noted that poverty indicators showed improvement in 2023, thanks to rising pensions and ongoing growth in employment. At that time, Eurostat data recorded poverty in Bulgaria at 20.6%, slightly better than the 2024 figure, which is 1.1 percentage points higher.

Among specific groups, unemployment remains the strongest predictor of poverty, with 58.7% of unemployed individuals living in poverty, a rate approximately five times higher than that of employed persons. The share of retirees living in poverty also increased in 2024, reaching 26.4%, compared to 23.2% in 2023.