Fewer people received social assistance in Swiss cities in 2022 than in the previous year. In ten of the 14 cities surveyed, the social assistance rate declined. The number of people receiving assistance fell by an average of 2.4%.
Among other things, the favorable labour market situation contributed to the development, the Swiss Association of Cities announced on Tuesday. The number of new welfare cases also declined.
More refugees on welfare are in employment than the rest of the population. Some 36% of adult refugees on social assistance are working, compared with 23% of all recipients.
Access to training and diploma recognition are among the key measures to combat the phenomenon of the “working poor” among refugees, according to the report. Some 60% of refugees on social assistance have no recognised vocational training.
At 9.9%, the social assistance rate was highest in Biel. Lausanne followed in second place with a social assistance rate of 6.8%. Zug had the lowest social assistance rate at 1.5%. In Basel, the rate was 5.3%, in Bern 4.9%and in Zurich 4.1%.
The Cities’ Social Policy Initiative of the Swiss Association of Cities and the Bern University of Applied Sciences analysed data from Basel, Bern, Biel, Chur, Lausanne, Lucerne, St. Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schlieren, Uster, Wädenswil, Winterthur, Zug and Zurich.
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