The Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) is currently made up of a set of data that are collected annually, and a system that combines modules that collect pre-defined complementary information on a regular basis and ad hoc modules on new information needs. The results presented in this press release include data from the annual component and the module on "Labour market and housing" carried out in 2023 (to be repeated every 3 years), allowing for the analysis of the risk of poverty and income inequality based on the relationship of individuals aged 18 and over – who constitute the reference population in this analysis – with the labour market and education levels.
According to the results of the Survey on Living Conditions and Income (SILC), conducted in 2023, 17.0% of people were at risk of poverty in 2022. The at-risk-of-poverty rate for the unemployed population amounted to 46.7% in 2022, which is significantly higher than that of the employed population, which was 10.0%. For the retired population, the at-risk-of-poverty rate stood at 15.4% and for the remaining inactive persons it was 31.2%. Compared to 2021, the at-risk-of-poverty rate only decreased for the employed population but increased for the unemployed and inactive population. It is also for the unemployed population that the relative median at-risk-of-poverty gap and the income inequality are highest. Among the employed population, the data reveal that poverty is lower for individuals employed in the public sector and for individuals who are very satisfied with their jobs.
The data now released reveal a positive relationship between education levels and poverty reduction: while 22.6% of the population that had completed at most the basic education level was poor, the risk of poverty was only 13.5% among the population that had completed secondary or post-secondary education and 5.8% among those that had completed tertiary education. Compared to the previous year, the increase in the at-risk-of-poverty rate of people who completed at most the basic education level stands out.
