ESTIMATES OF SOCIAL MINIMUM BASKETS FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2021
The article presents values of social minimum baskets for the first quarter of 2021. The presented estimates take into account the needs as foreseen in the model under normal conditions of social life – the new circumstances of COVID-19 are not taken into account. There is lack of research data on changes in household consumption in 2020. If there will be a need to change assumptions in the model, the values of social minimum can be recalculated in the future. The first quarter of 2021 has brought quite marked increases in basket values. Compared to the previous survey from Q4 2020, the social minimum increased by 2.4% in the household of a single person and by 2.1% in a 4-person household with two children. Inflation rose by a similar amount (2.1%) over the period. Among the groups of needs with the highest share in the social minimum, the value of food items increased from 2.6% to 2.7%, with the price index in this group at a similar level (2.5%). Expenditure on housing maintenance and energy carriers increased significantly: from 2.3% in 5-person households to 2.7% in 1-person households. The dynamics of these expenditures in the social minimum was lower than the value of the CPI index (3.6%) in this group.