Northern Switzerland Social welfare rate continues to fall in the Basel region

Fewer people were dependent on social welfare in the canton of Basel-Landschaft in 2023. The social welfare rate fell from 2.6 to 2.4 percent last year. This puts it at its lowest level since 2012.

The good situation on the labor market has favored this development, the Basel-Stadt Finance and Church Directorate, which is responsible for social welfare, announced on Wednesday. A decrease of 0.2 percentage points was already recorded in 2022.

In 2023, a total of 7129 people received social welfare benefits. This is 6 percent or 453 people fewer than in the previous year.

The net expenditure for social welfare amounted to a total of CHF 69.6 million in 2023. The increase in costs is largely due to the increased basic requirements as a result of the cost-of-living adjustment.

At the end of 2023, a total of 2540 people with protection status S were registered in the Basel region. Almost 84 percent of those in need of protection received social welfare benefits, according to the press release.

SDA