Some 600,000 people in the Netherlands have lived in poverty for three or more years, and 50% of them actually have a job, according to new research from the government’s socio-economic policy unit SCP.

Long term poverty has increased because of the recession and it is ‘unclear’ if this will reduce even though the economy is improving, the SCP says. The figures used in the survey come from 2005 to 2013.

Some 60% of those classed as officially poor manage to boost their income after one year, but by the second year, only one in five can do so. This makes intervention at an early stage vital, the SCP says.

In 2007, 850,000 people lived below the poverty line but by 2013 that had increased to 1.25 million, out of a population of 17 million.

The SCP defines poverty as having less than enough money to provide for basic living needs and to participate in society – this is puts at around €1,000 a month for a single person.

Junior social affairs minister Jetta Klijnsma told news agency ANP in a reaction that the figures showed the impact of the economic crisis ‘up to 2013’.

The government has done a lot to improve the spending power of people earning the minimum wage, and their spending power has risen by 5.8%, she said.

In addition, the government has allocated €100m a year to help the poorest households, she said.