生活保護、１２月開始は増加　１９年度は２年連続減―厚労省

　厚生労働省は３日、２０２０年１２月に生活保護の受給を開始した世帯数が１万７２７２世帯だったと発表した。前月と比べ３６７世帯増え、前年同月比でも４．０％のプラス。新型コロナウイルスの長期化が響いているとみられる。
　一方、１９年度の生活保護受給世帯数の月平均は前年度比０．１％減の１６３万５７２４世帯だった。２年連続の減少で、雇用状況が改善し、新型コロナの影響は限定的だったと分析している。
　２０年１２月の受給世帯は１６３万８１２４世帯。一時的に保護停止中の世帯を除いた内訳では、「高齢者」が５５．３％と最多で、失業中を含む「その他」は２４万６５７８世帯と１５．１％を占めた。
　１９年度の受給世帯数の内訳は、「高齢者」が８９万６９４５世帯と前年度より１万４９２３世帯増加した一方、「母子」など他の世帯はいずれも減少した。月平均の申請件数は１万８５８７件、受給開始世帯数は１万６５６４世帯。開始理由は「貯金などの減少・喪失」が最も多かった。（2021/03/03-11:52）

The number of households that started receiving public welfare benefits in Japan grew by 367 from the previous month to 17,272 in December last year, the welfare ministry said Wednesday.
   The figure was up 4.0 pct year on year, apparently due to impacts from the lingering novel coronavirus pandemic.
   The monthly average number of households on welfare in fiscal 2019, which ended in March last year, fell 0.1 pct from the previous year to 1,635,724, down for the second consecutive year. The ministry believes that the decline is thanks to the improved employment situation and the limited effects from the virus.
   In December 2020, 1,638,124 households received welfare benefits.
   Excluding households on welfare whose payments were suspended, the number of households comprising only members aged 65 or over or those with such elderly people and members aged under 18 accounted for 55.3 pct, making up the largest group. Households including those led by unemployed people accounted for 15.1 pct.