Lithuania poverty risk reaches highest level since 2018

Poverty risk in Lithuania reached its highest level since 2018, according to the 2026 Poverty and Social Exclusion Overview. Aistė Adomavičienė, director of the National Network of Poverty Reduction Organizations, noted that despite rising incomes, income inequality remains high and the situation for vulnerable groups is not improving.

In 2025, 22.6% of the Lithuanian population experienced poverty risk, the highest rate in the European Union. The risk is particularly pronounced among the unemployed, seniors, single individuals, people with disabilities, and single parents. Notably, there is a rising trend of poverty risk among the working population, suggesting that employment does not always guarantee sufficient income.

Specific demographics facing high risk include women of retirement age and men approaching retirement age. Based on 2024 income data, the poverty risk threshold for a single person was €699 per month, while for a family of two adults and two children, it was €1,468.