Recent reports on child poverty and social exclusion in Cyprus

A European Commission report indicates that the number of children at risk of poverty or social exclusion in Cyprus fell from 37,000 in 2019 to 26,000 in 2024. While the country reached its national target, the Commission noted that this target was of low ambition. Despite the reduction, Cyprus faces significant challenges, particularly regarding energy poverty, as 62.6% of children at risk reside in households unable to keep their homes sufficiently warm—the highest rate in the European Union. Furthermore, the education sector reports an early school leaving rate of 11.3%, which remains above the EU average of 9.3%. Conversely, separate data from Eurostat for 2025 highlights that Cyprus has one of the lowest risks of poverty or social exclusion for households with dependent children in the EU, at 12.2%. In contrast, the EU average for such households stands at 22.1%. These figures position Cyprus among the best-performing member states, alongside Slovenia and the Netherlands, while Spain, Romania, and Bulgaria record the highest rates.