Càritas has confirmed this morning that during 2023 the number of homes assisted in the diocese of Barcelona has increased by 21%, compared to 2022. It should be noted that 70% of the families to whom help is provided live in houses considered “not worthy”; That is, in rented rooms, sharing housing with strangers, hosted by friends or relatives, occupying a property, in resources of social entities or on the street.
Likewise, 68% of the new people supported by Càritas are in an irregular administrative situation, 4% more than in 2022. The entity has provided these data today, coinciding with the presentation of the report Una ajuda que no Above. Limitations and repetitions in the design and implementation of the minimum income guarantee benefits. The conclusions are that only 8.2% of the families that turn to Càritas receive the Guaranteed Citizen Income (RGC) or the Minimum Living Income (IMV) and that 60% of the households that suffer from severe poverty, in Catalonia, They do not receive any social benefits. Many of the people who are left out are because they are unaware that they have the right to opt for the RGC and the IMV, and also because of the complexity of the procedure. Likewise, Càritas considers that the amount of these benefits is not enough to escape poverty, especially in the city of Barcelona. The report indicates that, for example, the RGC only covers 35.8% of the resources required by a family made up of two adults and two or more children to live with dignity. The amount of the RGC ranges between 700 and 1,300 euros and that of the IMV, between 560 and 1,400, depending on the members of a household, recalls Càritas.
The proposals launched involve “harmonizing the IMV and the RGC, delegating management to the Generalitat and implementing the single window.” And it is also suggested to establish a work incentive and new complements depending on the location in which you live.
