ESTIMATES OF SOCIAL MINIMUM BASKETS FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2020

The article presents values of social minimum baskets for the fourth quarter of 2020. The presented estimates take into account the needs as foreseen in the model under normal conditions – 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. After a seasonal decline in in the third quarter, the fourth quarter brought a gentle increase in the value of the social minimum baskets. Compared to the previous survey, the social minimum rose by 0.1% in a household of two pensioners to 0.5% in a household of five with three children. Inflation rose by 0.4% during this period. The increase in the social minimum was mainly due to the higher cost of housing – it rose from 1% to 1.2%, with the value of the food basket falling from 0.5% to 0.7%.