Dimension 1 – Enabling conditions and governance

This dimension looks at whether governance arrangements enable effective, coordinated and evidence-based action to prevent and reduce poverty and social exclusion. It helps authorities in identifying strengths and gaps in how they plan, deliver and improve anti-poverty policies. 

1.1 Policy and strategic framework

There is a comprehensive long-term national, regional or local anti-poverty strategy or framework in place, covering at least the following aspects:

-It is based on a comprehensive and regularly updated analysis of the social situation, identifying key needs and target groups, challenges and structural drivers of poverty and social exclusion.

-It sets out clear objectives, defined responsibilities and measurable targets, with timelines consistent with the EU 2030 target and the 2050 ambition. Strategic objectives are translated into operational plans that set out actions, milestones and accountability.

-It is regularly reviewed and updated to reflect socio-economic developments and emerging risks.

-It is comprehensive and fosters integrated approaches across relevant policy fields (such as employment and social, education, energy, housing, health, transport, economic and taxation policies, agriculture, etc.)

-It is informed by strategic foresight, taking into account long-term trends and structural transformations, including demographic change, digitalisation and climate transition, in order to anticipate emerging poverty risks and adapt policy responses accordingly.

1.2 Coordination, capacity and participation

Governance arrangements allow policies to be implemented across sectors and levels of government, by:

-Establishing or entrusting to an existing entity a formal coordination mechanism (Anti-Poverty Coordinator) with a clear mandate to ensure coherence across policy areas and levels of government.

-Organising structured cooperation between national, regional and local authorities in designing and implementing anti-poverty measures, particularly where service delivery is decentralised.

-Ensuring sufficient capacity (staff, skills, systems and digital tools) to implement, coordinate, monitor and evaluate policies effectively.

-Involving social partners and other key stakeholders, including civil society and people experiencing poverty, early and regularly in the diagnosis of challenges, and in the design, implementation and monitoring of the strategy or framework, with clear feedback on how their input is used. Ensure the necessary adequate support to ensure these organisations or persons can contribute effectively.

1.3 Monitoring, reporting and evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation allow to track results and adjust policies, including by:

-Using a monitoring framework that tracks poverty trends, key drivers and policy outcomes over time, using data that are timely and disaggregated by age groups and other relevant dimensions, where possible.

-Identifying groups and territories at higher risk and using this evidence to inform adjustments to policy design and resource allocation.

-Conducting regular evaluation of anti-poverty measures to assess their effectiveness and efficiency, and using findings to improve policy design and delivery.

-Carrying out ex-ante assessments of major reforms and investments with potential distributional effects, to identify and mitigate adverse social effects on vulnerable groups.

1.4Funding

Financial resources are aligned with policy objectives by:

-Allocating dedicated public funding for anti-poverty measures. This funding is clearly allocated to specific needs and proportional to the scale of the challenge within the available fiscal means. The allocation of funding is reviewed at reasonably frequent intervals.

-Using European funds, including funding linked to the implementation of the National and Regional Partnership Plans, to support and complement the efforts of national, regional and local authorities in fighting poverty and social exclusion.

-Facilitating and overseeing complementary contributions from private actors and philanthropy to anti-poverty initiatives, including through transparent oversight of donation platforms, incentives for donations, impact investment mechanisms or partnerships with businesses and foundations.

-Preparedness and response mechanisms are in place to address sudden socio-economic shocks (e.g. cost-of-living increases, energy price spikes), ensuring timely support to households at risk of poverty, through temporary and targeted measures.

Dimension 2 – Access to social rights and respect for fundamental rights

This dimension examines whether people experiencing or at risk of poverty can effectively access their social rights in practice, and whether policies, laws and administrative practices respect fundamental rights, protect dignity, prevent discrimination and combat stigma. National, regional and local authorities, where relevant, are invited to assess not only formal entitlements, but also real-life access, treatment and outcomes for people concerned.

2.1 Effective access to social rights and services and addressing non-take up I

People can claim rights in practice thanks to:

-Clear, accessible information on eligibility and procedures in accessible formats and easy to understand relevant languages so that people can easily find, understand and take up their social rights.

-Simplified administrative procedures (shorter forms, fewer documents, proportionate checks) and setting standards for timely decisions.

-Reduced administrative barriers and efforts to tackle non-take-up through outreach, guidance and practical support.

-Reviewed access arrangements from a user perspective (through customer journeys), including feedback from people experiencing poverty.

-Digital channels, which are complemented by non-digital channels to avoid lack of or difficult access by those individuals who do not have digital devices or are not comfortable in their usage, or situations where digital access is not possible due to technical issues.

-Comprehensively trained public social service providers and caseworkers, who understand well the rights of benefit recipients and/or service users.

-Professionals with lived experience of poverty, including as peer workers or community mediators, to strengthen outreach, trust and effective access to rights.

2.2 Dignity, safeguards and redress

Dignity and procedural fairness are protected by:

-Ensuring social services and benefit users are treated with dignity and clearly informed of their rights and obligations.

-Providing complaint and appeal mechanisms that are accessible, impartial and effective, with timely outcomes.

-Social services are delivered by trained staff using respectful and non-discriminatory practices.

-Making sure that sanctions are effective, transparent, proportionate and gradual and preventing intrusive or punitive administrative practices (e.g. proportionality rules for controls, special protections for children and vulnerable adults).

2.3 Addressing and preventing socio-economic discrimination and stigma

Socio-economic discrimination is explicitly tackled:

-Law(s) prohibit socio-economic discrimination and prevent discriminatory practices, while equality bodies are empowered to support the implementation of the related legal provisions. 

-Policies and enforcement practices ensure that poverty and homelessness are addressed through supportive and inclusive approaches, avoiding disproportionate or punitive measures.

-Public communication campaigns actively prevent and combat stigma and stereotypes related to experiencing poverty.

-School civil education programmes address stigma related to experiencing poverty.

Dimension 3 - Adequate and inclusive income protection

This dimension examines whether income protection systems prevent and reduce poverty across the life course by ensuring that everyone has access to adequate, reliable and inclusive income support, both in and out of work, and during key life risks. National, regional and local authorities, where relevant, are invited to assess whether income protection systems provide effective income security, address coverage gaps, and support living in dignity.  II

3.1 Comprehensive coverage of social risks

-Income replacement is available and accessible when key life risks occur, including unemployment, sickness, maternity/paternity, and in old age.

-Social protection coverage is available for all workers, regardless of type of employment, and the self-employed. Entitlements are preserved, accumulated and/or transferable when people change job, sector or status. When contributory entitlements are not available or are exhausted, a minimum income scheme provides a reliable safety net that prevents destitution and supports social inclusion.

-Targeted income support (benefits) helps address specific circumstances and costs that increase poverty risks including disability, care needs or caretaking, housing and energy costs, taking account of territorial differences where relevant.

-Family-related income support, including child and family benefits, contributes to income security and supports households in meeting the additional costs associated with raising children.

-The benefit system is robust and flexible to remain effective during major economic, health, climate or price shocks, including through crisis protocols and the ability to scale up support rapidly.

-Authorities provide accessible guidance and advisory services to support short- and long-term financial planning, including information on pension entitlements, social contributions, health insurance coverage and the impact of employment transitions on future income security.

3.2 Adequacy of income support

-Contributory schemes provide an adequate level of protection to their members during periods of income loss, maintaining a decent standard of living and providing appropriate income replacement in relation to prior earnings. 

-Minimum income schemes provide support at a level that ensures sufficient resources to have a life in dignity (such as the national poverty threshold or the value of necessary goods and services).

-Authorities use transparent and robust methods to assess the adequacy of income support using recognised benchmarks and regular reviews.

-Income protection levels are indexed and adjusted regularly to maintain purchasing power and remain aligned with living costs and income developments.

-All workers and the self-employed have equal opportunities to contribute to earnings-based pension schemes. Specific corrective mechanisms (such as care credits) compensate for short or fragmented contributory careers e.g. due to care responsibilities, or reduced contributions e.g. due to part-time work. Low-income pensioners have access to adequate universal or contributory minimum benefits.

Dimension 4- Integration in the labour market of the working age population

Low labour market participation or lack of opportunities for decent, well-paid employment are important root causes of poverty. It is central to support all those who can work to enter the labour market, in line with their potential, and that work allows to exit poverty. III  

4.1 Quality jobs

-Labour law helps protect workers and prevent precarious employment and labour inspectorates are equipped with appropriate resources and instruments to enforce legislation. Measures are in place to curtail disguised or segregated employment (e.g. isolated workplaces) IV or undeclared and underdeclared work and to encourage formalisation.

-The setting and updating of statutory minimum wages, where they exist, is guided by criteria that contribute to their adequacy and are regularly reviewed.

-Work–life balance measures, such as family and care leaves and flexible working arrangements support sustained labour-market participation and help reconcile family and work responsibilities without undermining income from employment or job security.

-Social dialogue and collective bargaining mechanisms effectively facilitate discussions and policies to prevent in-work poverty. 

4.2 Active support to employment for disadvantaged groups

-Persons facing significant barriers to employment are identified through evidence and labour-market analysis, taking into account factors such as age, care responsibilities, low qualifications, long-term unemployment, disability, racial or ethnic origin, migration background, health constraints or geographical location.

-Public employment services and social services, equipped with the necessary resources and capacities, proactively reach out to people belonging to disadvantaged groups and continuously assess the demand for support.

-Individualised and timely support for labour market inclusion, including personalised employment services, guidance, training and access to relevant enabling services are available. V

-Public employment services, in coordination with education and social services, and where relevant, in cooperation with private employment services, provide early identification, personalised action plans and post-placement follow-up for young people to prevent long-term disengagement from education, training or employment. 

-Public employment services cooperate with businesses in order to provide post-placement support.

-Active support to employment provides reasonable accommodation and accessibility for persons with disabilities to ensure their participation. VI

-The social economy and in particular work-integration initiatives are supported as a pathway to labour-market inclusion. This can include partnerships with local and regional authorities as well as enhanced awareness of and cooperation with employers. VII

4.3 Financial incentives to work and in-work benefits

-The tax and benefit system is designed in a way that does not overburden workers at risk of poverty and social exclusion and ensures that, with increased work intensity, incomes progressively increase (e.g. through tapered withdrawal rates).

-Disability allowances continue to cover for the additional costs of living with a disability, or compensatory costs arising from working, such as assistive technologies, transport of personal assistance. 

-Income protection, particularly unemployment insurance and minimum income schemes, are designed to gradually phase out as more income is derived from employment.

4.4 Inclusive entrepreneurship and self-employment

-Targeted measures support people at risk of poverty to access entrepreneurship or self-employment, including through tailored guidance, simplified procedures and targeted start-up support. This can include “one-stop” support combining coaching, administrative help and incubator-type schemes for disadvantaged groups.

-Inclusive entrepreneurship and social economy initiatives are supported, recognising their role in creating sustainable economic activity while fostering social inclusion.

-Access to affordable and responsible micro-finance is ensured for vulnerable groups, accompanied by appropriate business planning support, financial guidance and safeguards against over-indebtedness.

Dimension 5: Access to affordable and quality services

This dimension examines whether people experiencing or at risk of poverty have effective access to affordable and quality services that are essential for social and civic inclusion, labour-market participation and living in dignity. National, regional and local authorities, where relevant, are invited to assess whether services are sufficiently funded, accessible in practice, responsive to users’ needs, cost-effective and well-coordinated across policy areas.

Services are delivered in accordance with clear quality standards, monitored through appropriate governance and accountability mechanisms, and regularly reviewed to ensure effectiveness, safety and user satisfaction. Their delivery is supported through structured participation mechanisms involving people with lived experience of poverty.

5.1 Services for children and young people VIII  

-Children in need have access to free early childhood education and care, free education (including school-based activities and at least one healthy meal each school day), free healthcare, healthy nutrition and adequate housing. IX  

-Psychological support is provided free of charge and in a timely manner to children in need, including in particular children who experienced violence, such as bullying, including cyberbullying.

-Access to safe and inclusive sport and culture for vulnerable children and young people is promoted.

-Child and youth services and youth work promote inclusion, participation and equal opportunities.

-Coordination of multidisciplinary mechanisms ensure continuity between support provided during childhood and measures facilitating the transition to higher education, training and employment in early adulthood, including clear referral pathways and information-sharing between services to ensure a supported transition.

-Tailored longer-term support is provided to children and young people transitioning out of alternative care.

-There are clear referral pathways to integrated child protection and family support.

5.2Education and training, culture and sport

-Targeted programmes are in place to improve the level and quality of learning opportunities for pupils and students from low-income households (additional funding to schools, professional development of teachers, mentoring, scholarships and financial aid, access to facilities and materials, desegregation measures, including for Roma X , etc.)

-Long-term comprehensive efforts are in place to address underachievement in basic skills and early leaving from education and training, in particular targeting pupils of general education and vocational education and training (VET) from low-income households.

-Programmes are in place to increase the number of students from low-income households in tertiary education (Higher Education and Higher VET).

-Adult learning, including second-chance education pathways, but also upskilling and reskilling opportunities are accessible and affordable, with flexible formats (part-time, modular, blended) and outreach through trusted local services.

-Acquisition of basic skills and key competences, including literacy, numeracy, digital skills, science and citizenship, is prioritised in a lifelong perspective. A specific focus is placed on targeted support for adults with low qualifications and lower level of basic skills acquisition. Specific support is targeted at removing barriers to participation (stigma, transport costs, childcare availability). Programmes emphasise practical learning tied to employability, participation in society and everyday life applications.

-Access to sport and culture for the most vulnerable is promoted. 

5.3 Healthcare

-Healthcare services are available and accessible to the most vulnerable and responsive to their needs.

-Access to psychological support to address mental health and related stigma is facilitated for the most vulnerable.

-Efforts are in place to improve the distribution of health benefits and reduce out-of-pocket costs for low-income households, especially for primary and preventive care. 

-Preventive healthcare and health promotion measures are accessible and facilitated for low-income and vulnerable groups, including those living in marginalised or remote localities, with the aim of reducing health inequalities and preventing poverty linked to poor health. These include quality and accessible mobile services, telemedicine, and one-stop shops combining health and social services.

-Air and water quality regulations are effectively implemented and enforced, with a focus on areas with a high share of low-income households.

5.4 Long-term care XI

-People with long-term care (LTC) needs have access to care services that are community- and home-based, comprehensive, affordable, of high quality, and provided in timely manner.

-Long-term care provisions are effective in preventing poverty risks linked to care needs, enabling people with LTC needs to maintain a decent standard of living as well as ensuring their dignity.

-Measures are in place to identify informal carers and provide access to support services (including counselling, guidance, respite care) as well as adequate financial support and income protection, including pension credits.

-Measures are in place to support quality jobs in the care sector, including adequate pay, fair working conditions, access to upskilling and reskilling, career pathways, in particular by fostering collective bargaining and social dialogue in the sector is supported.

5.5 Housing

-The availability of public and social housing is assessed and increased to meet the demand by people in vulnerable situations while avoiding segregation (namely the waiting lists and waiting time for social housing for low-income people are reduced).

-Housing assistance services are in place to offer counselling and advisory support to help vulnerable persons find accommodation in the private rental market or deal with the application process for public and social housing.

-There are housing allowances that reduce rent costs for low-income households and specific vulnerable groups.

-Strategic frameworks are in place to combat and prevent homelessness, based on a person-centred, housing-led and integrated policy approach XII .

-Groups suffering from or at risk of housing exclusion have been identified and when designing policy measures, their specific disadvantages have been taken into account.

-Systematic mapping of segregated Roma settlements with the consent of the communities and assessment to identify levels of poverty risk, severe material deprivation, and gaps in access to essential services, while ensuring their inclusion in urban planning processes.

-A one-stop-shop approach to the provision of both low-barrier and mainstream social, health and employment services for homeless people and people experiencing housing exclusion has been put in place.

-There are prevention mechanisms to identify rent arrears early, together with mediation, intermediation and emergency support to prevent forced evictions.

5.6 Social inclusion services and essential services

-Measures are in place to ensure that social inclusion services (such as counselling, coaching, mentoring and outreach services) are available, accessible, affordable, person-centred, place-based, comprehensive, continuous and outcome-oriented, including through partnerships with social economy organisations. This can include one-stop social service entry points.

-Access to essential services (such as energy, water and sanitation, transport, digital communications and financial services) is ensured in practice for persons experiencing or at risk of poverty. In particular, continuity of access is protected and affordability is addressed through appropriate structural measures and support mechanisms, keeping costs proportionate to household income.

-Financial literacy is supported, empowering individuals to effectively manage personal finances and understand financial products.

-Early-warning, monitoring and support mechanisms are in place to prevent and address over-indebtedness, including access to debt advice and counselling.

-Improve access to healthy food for vulnerable and marginalised groups, with measures such as food vouchers, and, where needed, emergency food assistance such as food banks.

-Programmes are in place to ensure that the most vulnerable have effective access to affordable basic hygiene products, including menstrual products.

5.7 Addressing territorial inequalities in the provision of services

-There is territorial service mapping, which performs a gap analysis and ensures that territorial disparities in service provision are monitored and tackled in a coherent and coordinated manner, including demographic changes where relevant.

-Particular attention is given to vulnerable areas, including disadvantaged neighbourhoods, rural, remote and border areas, and less developed and outermost regions. In practice, this can include minimum service standards, supporting innovative service delivery models, mobile and outreach services, safe and reliable transport solutions to enhance access to services, and targeted investment planning to address persistent service gaps.

-Measures are in place to ensure sufficient availability of qualified staff delivering social, employment, health, care-related and education services in disadvantaged or remote areas.

Dimension 6: Taking a person-centred and place-based approach

This dimension examines whether anti-poverty policies systematically account for intersecting vulnerabilities and territorial disparities, ensuring that measures across all policy areas effectively reach people facing compounded disadvantages and unequal access to opportunities and services. National, regional and local authorities, where relevant, are invited to apply this dimension across all other dimensions of the guidance, from governance to income, employment and services.

6.1 Integrated support

-Anti-poverty policies are designed, implemented and reviewed around the situation of individuals and households, recognising that poverty and social exclusion is often multidimensional and cumulative and anchored in territorial contexts.

-Integrated needs assessments identify overlapping challenges, such as income, employment, health, housing, care, and social participation.

-For people facing multiple disadvantages, access to support is improved through integrated service pathways or single contact points. In practice, this includes coordination efforts, and shared protocols between social, employment, health, and integration services ensure equitable access and outcomes. Integrated service pathways require a phased approach combined with long term capacity investment.

-Case management specially for complex cases support continuity over time, particularly during transitions or crisis situations ensuring that individuals receive personalised care and guidance, supported by qualified staff.

-Rapid-response and crisis support mechanisms are available to provide timely, targeted assistance to individuals and households facing sudden income shocks or hardship situations.

6.2Life-course and life-situation risks

-Poverty risks at different life stages (childhood, youth, working age and older age) are identified and monitored.

-Targeted measures to support women when experiencing life situations that put them at higher risk of poverty such as domestic violence, single parenthood and increase in care responsibilities. XIII

-Targeted measures address life situations associated with higher poverty risks, such disability, long-term care needs, mental health challenges, and homelessness.

-Policies facilitate smooth transitions between life stages such as education to work, work to retirement, and care entry and exit, to prevent disruption and entry into poverty through for example transition plans and links between benefits and enabling services at critical moments (e.g. childbirth, job loss, loss of autonomy in older age).

-Policies support people not only to exit poverty but also to stay out of it, by reducing the risk of “cycling back” through stable income pathways, gradual benefit and services withdrawal and follow-up support where needed.

6.3Vulnerable groups, intersectional vulnerabilities and equal treatment XIV

-Groups at higher risk of poverty or social exclusion are identified using disaggregated data and relevant indicators, including factors such as gender, age, disability, migration background, ethnic origin or other personal characteristics.

-Targeted measures are developed to support groups facing higher risks of poverty or social exclusion, such as single parents, persons with disabilities, people with a migrant background, Roma and LGBTIQ+ persons. XV

-Policies and services are adapted to address intersectional disadvantages, recognising that multiple factors may reinforce poverty risks.

-Frontline services receive training to effectively recognise and address discrimination and bias, promoting equal treatment.

-Service providers are accountable, and complaint and redress mechanisms are accessible for service users.

6.4Territorial and local disparities

-Territorial disparities in poverty risks and access to employment are mapped and monitored.

-Local and regional authorities are empowered and resourced to tailor national policies to local needs and contexts and/or complement them with additional support, including through simplified access to funding.

-Targeted measures address specific challenges in urban deprived areas, rural regions, remote and outermost regions. In practice this can include place-based strategies for disadvantaged regions and neighbourhoods.