The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) says there has been a decline in the country’s poverty rate.

Dr. Wayne Henry, Director General of the PIOJ, on Wednesday released data showing that in 2014, the poverty rate fell by 4.6 percentage points to 20 per cent.

It was the first downward movement recorded for the national poverty rate since 2007.

Dr. Henry reported that during 2013, the poverty rate represented an increase of 4.7 percentage points compared with 2012.