Netherlands sees slight drop in poverty

The number of people living in poverty in the Netherlands fell slightly since 2014, according to a report by the social and cultural planning office SCP. If the cabinet sticks to its promise to improve purchasing power next year, poverty will drop even further, according to the SCP, RTL Nieuws reports. People are considered poor in the Netherlands if they live on 1,063 euros per month. That is cover to cover the basic expenses, go on one holiday and be a member of a sports club. The basic expenses amount to 971 euros. In 2014 a total of 1.2 million people, or 7.6 percent of the population, were living on 1,063 euros a month. According to the SCP, that dropped to 7 percent in 2015 and 2016. Amsterdam houses most of the poor Dutch with 14.4 percent of its population living on 1,063 euros a month. Rotterdam is in a close second place with 14.1 percent, followed by The Hague at 13.4 percent. 38 of the total 403 Dutch municipalities have a poverty rate above 7.7 percent. Almost half of these municipalities are located in Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe. The poorest area is Rotterdam's Crooswijk. The groups at greatest risk of falling into poverty are self employed, welfare recipients and non-Western migrants.