Almost one in ten working-age adults is poor
Some 380,000 adults are living below the poverty line, according to figures from the Federal Statistics Office.
This represents nine per cent of the Swiss population group aged 20-59. The rate remains unchanged since 2000.
The number of working poor decreased in the same period from five per cent to 4.5 per cent. The poverty line is defined as SFr2,200 ($2,000) net income for a single person and SFr4,650 for a couple with two children.
The rate of poverty decreased between 2000 and 2002 due to a strong economy. It began to climb again after that as the unemployment rate rose.
The statistics office explained that the number of people living in poverty displays a delayed reaction to the state of the economy.
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