Eurostat: One in five citizens in the EU is at risk of poverty

One in five citizens in the EU are at risk of poverty and social exclusion, according to Eurostat figures for 2021 released today.

In particular, in 2021, 95,4 million people in the EU, representing 21,7% of the population, were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, i.e. living in households facing at least one of the three risks of poverty and social exclusion (at risk of poverty, severe material and social deprivation and/or living in a household with very low work intensity). This is a slight increase compared to 2020 (94,8 million, 21,6% of the population).

Among the 95,4 million people in the EU who faced the risk of poverty or social exclusion, around 5,9 million (1,3% of the total population) lived in households facing all three risks of poverty and social exclusion at the same time.

In 2021, 73,7 million people in the EU were at risk of poverty, while 27,0 million faced severe material and social deprivation and 29,3 million lived in a household with low work intensity.

The risk of poverty or social exclusion varies between EU Member States. The highest percentages of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion were recorded in Romania (34), Bulgaria (32), Greece and Spain (both 28%).

Conversely, the lowest percentages of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion were recorded in the Czech Republic (11%), Slovenia (13%) and Finland (14%).

Source: RES-EAP