The Evolution of Financial Poverty in Western Europe

In many countries in Europe there has been talk of ‘new poverty’. As the brief review by Room (1990) makes clear, the concept of ‘new poverty’ is somewhat confused, and is used in rather different ways in various countries. However, one of the constant elements appears to be that it is claimed (or the impression is created) that poverty is on the increase. As causes or indicators of the supposed rise in poverty, reference is often made to high and/or increasing levels of unemployment, growing numbers of people who are dependent on social assistance, and more homeless people on city streets.