Secours catholique has unveiled its annual report on precariousness in Maine-et-Loire and calls for measures to combat inequalities and social exclusion.
Precariousness affects more and more women – © Adobe Stock
Secours catholique published its annual report on poverty on November 14, highlighting a worrying social situation in the department of Maine-et-Loire.
The association, which relies on the work of 965 volunteers supporting nearly 4,700 households in difficulty, notes a worsening of precariousness, amplified by growing obstacles to access to social rights.
“A real obstacle course”
The report highlights that 33% of people helped in the department are without resources. Women, particularly affected, represent half of the people encountered. The association also notes an increase in requests linked to administrative procedures, which jumped from 8% in 2022 to 12% in 2023. This figure reflects, according to the organization, “ the growing difficulties encountered by precarious people faced with the dematerialization of public services ».
In 2023, Secours catholique du Maine-et-Loire distributed 147,000 euros to support households with essential needs such as food, rent, and even energy bills. Families with children, particularly among foreign populations, are particularly vulnerable, now representing 55% of households assisted.
The report highlights the negative effects of the dematerialization of administrative procedures: “ Access to social benefits becomes a real obstacle course. The dematerialization of procedures, the tightening of eligibility criteria and the complexity of the processes of access to rights accentuate exclusion », insists Secours catholique.
Dematerialization thus accentuates the non-recourse to rights, which reaches 36% for the RSA, up 10 points compared to 2010. For the association, “ the loss of proximity to public services and the complexity of procedures prevent many citizens from accessing the assistance they need ».
In its report, Secours catholique makes several recommendations, including “ the re-establishment of physical access points to administrations, the strengthening of support systems such as the France Services spaces, by ensuring better territorial distribution and qualified staff, a simplification of administrative procedures to better respond to individual needs, as well as the establishment of a guaranteed minimum income, considered essential to fight against extreme precariousness ».
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