The rate for risk of poverty, driven by the growing income inequality, is at the “highest level in 20 years”, according to the statement, with an overall upward trend since the mid-2000s. 

When it comes to purchasing power, the inequality gap is widening: despite the fact that those in the low wage bracket saw a 1.5% increase in 2017, this rise was less than the 2% rise experienced by those in the high wage bracket. 

The rate of risk was particularly high for single-parent households (46.2%) and, generally speaking, households without children were less at risk than those with children.  

The potential poverty, moreover, wasn’t necessarily linked to employment: some 14% of employees in Luxembourg are still exposed to such risk--the highest in all of Europe, according to the analysis.

The analysis has been undertaken by the CSL for the past 8 years as a way to capture a snapshot of Luxembourg’s economy when it comes to employment, working conditions, inequalities and poverty risk.