Beneficiary incidence in extreme poor (<$2.15 a day) (%) - All Social in South Africa

South Africa: Beneficiary incidence in extreme poor (<$2.15 a day) (%) - All Social was 23.9% in 2021. ▼ Falling

Latest (2021)
23.9%
Change on year
down 13.0%
World rank
3rd
of 38 countries
All-time high
32.3%
in 2005
All-time low
20.0%
in 2010
Years of data
8
2005–2021

Beneficiary incidence in extreme poor (<$2.15 a day) (%) - All Social in South Africa, 2005–2021

01020302005201320212005: 32.32010: 202014: 24.32016: 29.32018: 252019: 26.62020: 27.52021: 23.9

Source: ASPIRE.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 23.9% for beneficiary incidence in extreme poor (<$2.15 a day) (%) - all social in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 13.0% on the previous year and up 19.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, beneficiary incidence in extreme poor (<$2.15 a day) (%) - all social in South Africa peaked at 32.3% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 20.0%, in 2010.

South Africa ranks 3rd of 38 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

Beneficiary incidence in extreme poor (<$2.15 a day) (%) - All Social in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Beneficiary incidence in extreme poor (<$2.15 a day) (%) - All Social Assistance in South Africa, 2005 to 2021.
Year Value Change
2005 32.3%
2010 20.0% -38.1%
2014 24.3% +21.7%
2016 29.3% +20.4%
2018 25.0% -14.6%
2019 26.6% +6.1%
2020 27.5% +3.5%
2021 23.9% -13.0%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 23.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.7%, 14.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 32.3% 32.3% 32.3% 1
2010s 25.1% 20.0% 29.3% 5
2020s 25.7% 23.9% 27.5% 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 1 Malawi 75.7% compare
  2. 2 Honduras 26.3% compare
  3. 4 Pakistan 12.5% compare
  4. 5 Colombia 10.2% compare
  5. 6 Brazil 9.0% compare

See the full ranking of 38 places →

More work & labour data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is beneficiary incidence in extreme poor (<$2.15 a day) (%) - all social in South Africa?
Beneficiary incidence in extreme poor (<$2.15 a day) (%) - all social in South Africa was 23.9% in 2021, according to ASPIRE.
What is the highest beneficiary incidence in extreme poor (<$2.15 a day) (%) - all social recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 32.3% in 2005.
What is the lowest beneficiary incidence in extreme poor (<$2.15 a day) (%) - all social recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 20.0% in 2010.
How does South Africa rank for beneficiary incidence in extreme poor (<$2.15 a day) (%) - all social?
South Africa ranks 3rd out of 38 countries with data for 2021.
Is beneficiary incidence in extreme poor (<$2.15 a day) (%) - all social rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 19.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from ASPIRE, published as part of Beneficiary incidence in extreme poor (<$2.15 a day) (%) - All Social Assistance. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Beneficiary incidence in extreme poor (<$2.15 a day) (%) - All Social in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on ASPIRE. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/beneficiary-incidence-in-extreme-poor-2-15-a-day-percent-all-social-assistance/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Beneficiary incidence in extreme poor (<$2.15 a day) (%) - All Social Assistance
Source
ASPIRE
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
38 places, 373 data points, 2002–2023
Last refreshed

Percentage of program beneficiaries in a quintile relative to the total number of beneficiaries in the population