A total of 267.683 persons were supported by the minimum income scheme (“Mindestsicherung”) in 2019, as Statistics Austria reports.
After the strong annual growth until 2016 and a stagnation in 2017, the number of supported persons decreased by 21.963 (-7.6%) compared to the previous year.
The total expenditure (subsistence, housing needs, protection in case of sickness) in 2019 amounted to €913 million (-28 million or -3.0% compared to 2018).
The major part thereof (€607 million) was spent in Vienna. This corresponds with the fact that also most recipients lived in Vienna (64%, annual average).
The minimum income scheme comprises benefits to ensure people’s means of subsistence and housing needs, and to afford protection in case of sickness, pregnancy and childbirth.
