Fewer Jamaicans say income can cover expenses, survey finds

Fewer Jamaicans believe that their main source of income is enough to cover their expenses, the latest survey of living conditions has revealed.

The 2023 survey, conducted by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), noted that there was a reduction in the proportion of households that felt their main source of income was reliable.

The survey sampled 4,442 individuals across 1,719 households.

Approximately one-third, or 32.3 per cent, of households felt that their main source of livelihood provided a reliable source of income, compared with 35.7 per cent in 2021.

Conversely, 50.8 per cent felt it met only their basic needs, an increase from 46.6 per cent in 2021.

When asked how their financial situation compared with the previous 12 months, 52 per cent of all households said it remained the same, 32.5 per cent said it was worse off, and 15 per cent said it was better off.

Additionally, just about one-half of all households, 51.1 per cent, reported that they had enough food to eat on a daily basis, and were therefore food secure.

- Sashana Small

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