Around 14 per cent of gainfully employed households in Cyprus were at risk of poverty in 2023, according to data published Thursday by the Statistical Service.

This 14 per cent corresponded to 127,236 persons, whose ‘equalised disposable income’ was equal to or less than €11,324 per year.

Meantime 28 per cent of the population were in the ‘lower income bracket’, with a disposal annual income of under €14,155. The respective percentages for this income bracket were 29.4 per cent in 2022, and 27.4 per cent in 2021.

In 2023 the ‘middle income bracket’ accounted for 64.1 per cent of the population (63.1 per cent in 2022), with a disposable annual income between €14,156 and €37,746.

Lastly, 7.9 per cent of the population (7.6 per cent in 2022) were classed in the ‘higher income bracket’. Their annual disposable income was anything above €37,747.

The data compiled also showed that the median disposable income of those in the ‘higher’ bracket came to €46,711 – or 200 per cent higher than the national equalised median income.

Of those in the ‘higher’ income class, 1.2 per cent were either behind their loan repayments or behind on their rent.

In the ‘middle’ bracket, 9.4 per cent were in loan arrears or behind on their rent payments.

And 31.6 per cent of those in the ‘lower’ income bracket were behind on their loans or rent.