Abstract

The article deals with the basic concepts of the poverty estimation. The main methods of objective and subjective measurements are considered. Based on State Committee for statistics of Ukraine data analysis and some sociological studies on poverty, poverty level for modern Ukraine in accordance with each of the methods is defined. In particular, due to the concept of absolute poverty according to international criteria proposed by the UNO, 2.2% Ukrainian are considered poor. By the criterion of the minimum subsistence level 11.5 % are poor. By the relative poor criterion there are 25.4% of poor Ukrainians. According to subjective estimates of 65 to 95 % of the population consider themselves as poor. However, each of these methods has its drawbacks. The use of objective assessments of poverty is impractical due to lack of science­based subsistence level and the difficulties of obtaining timely, complete and accurate information on income, expenditure and household resources available. Subjective poverty assessment approach provides some distortion due to the tendency of pretending to be poorer than one is and live beyond their means. The combination of objective and subjective poverty should be a productive approach, which still awaits recognition among scholars and practitioners of public administration.