Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
The indicator is part of the EU Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicator set. It is used to monitor progress towards SDG 1 on ending poverty in all its forms everywhere and SDG 10 on reducing inequality within and among countries which are embedded in the European Commission’s Priorities under the 'European Green Deal', 'An economy that works for people', 'Promoting the European way of life' and 'A new push for European democracy'.
SDG 1 calls for an eradication of extreme poverty and for a reduction of relative poverty by 2030. It envisions shared prosperity, a basic standard of living and social protection benefits for people everywhere, including the poorest and most vulnerable.
Furthermore, the indicator is a main indicator in the Social Scoreboard for the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan with a proposed target of reducing the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion by 15 million by 2030, including at least 5 million children. It can be considered as similar to global SDG indicator 1.2.2 "Proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions".
Poverty and social exclusion harm individual lives and limit the opportunities for people to achieve their full potential by affecting their health and well-being and lowering educational outcomes. This, in turn, reduces opportunities to lead a successful life and further increases the risk of poverty. Without effective education, health, social, tax benefit and employment systems, the risk of poverty is passed on from one generation to the next. This causes poverty to persist and hence creates more inequality, which can lead to long-term loss of economic productivity from whole groups of society and hamper inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
In order to monitoring progress towards reducing child poverty, the indicator is available by age group 0-17.
The breakdown of the indicator by degree of urbanisation is presented as a separate table, sdg_01_10a. It is used to monitor progress towards SDG 10 on reducing inequalities.
4.1. Data description
This indicator corresponds to the sum of persons who are: at risk of poverty after social transfers, severely materially and socialy deprived or living in households with very low work intensity. Persons are counted only once even if they are affected by more than one of these phenomena.
Persons are considered to be at risk of poverty after social transfers, if they have an equivalised disposable income below the risk-of-poverty threshold, which is set at 60 % of the national median equivalised disposable income.
Severe material and social deprivation rate is the proportion of the population experiencing an enforced lack of at least 7 out of 13 deprivation items (6 related to the individual and 7 related to the household)
List of items at household level:
Capacity to face unexpected expenses
Capacity to afford paying for one week annual holiday away from home
Capacity to being confronted with payment arrears (on mortgage or rental payments, utility bills, hire purchase instalments or other loan payments)
Capacity to afford a meal with meat, chicken, fish or vegetarian equivalent every second day
Ability to keep home adequately
Have access to a car/van for personal use
Replacing worn-out furniture
List of items at individual level:
Having internet connection
Replacing worn-out clothes by some new ones
Having two pairs of properly fitting shoes (including a pair of all-weather shoes)
Spending a small amount of money each week on him/herself
Having regular leisure activities
Getting together with friends/family for a drink/meal at least once a month.
Persons living in households with very low work intensity are those aged 0-64 years living in households where the adults (those aged 18-64, but excluding students aged 18-24 and persons who are retired according to their self-defined current economic status or who receive any pension (except survivors pension), as well as persona in the age bracket 60-64 who are inactive and living in a household where the main income is pensions - except survivors pension - worked less than 20% of their total combined work-time potential during the previous 12 months. Households composed only of children, of students aged less than 25 and/or persons aged 65 or more are excluded from the indicator calculation.
In order to measure child poverty, the indicator is available for the age group 0-17.
The separate table sdg_01_10a shows the breakdown of the personas at risk of poverty or social exclusion by degree of urbanisation.
4.2. Unit of measure
% of population, thousand persons i. total ii. less than 18 years
sdg_01_10a: % of population
4.3. Reference Period
Calendar year.
4.4. Accuracy - overall
From 2021Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 foresees the requirements relating to geographical coverage, detailed sample characteristics, including subsampling, in accordance with Annex III, common data gathering periods, common standards for editing and imputation, weighting, estimation and variance estimation.
Before 2021 onwards EU-SILC is based on a common framework defined by harmonised lists of primary and secondary variables, common concepts, a recommended design, common requirements (such as imputation procedures, weighting, sampling errors calculation) and classifications aiming at maximising comparability of the information produced. Details can be found in the metadata of the source datasets.
4.5. Source data
4.5.1. Source data - Organisation
ESS (SILC)
4.5.2. Source data - Comment
Data source: Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (SILC).
Data provider: Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat), based on data reported by the countries.
5.1. Frequency of dissemination
5.1.1. Frequency of dissemination - Grade
Every year
5.1.2. Frequency of dissemination - Comment
The indicator is updated annually in November. Complete and updated ESS data release information can be accessed via Eurostat release calendar.
5.2. Timeliness
5.2.1. Timeliness - Grade
T+1 year
5.2.2. Timeliness - Comment
New data points are disseminated within one year after the reference year.
6.1. Reference area
6.1.1. Reference Area - Grade
All EU MS
6.1.2. Reference Area - Comment
Data are presented for all EU Member States plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, North Macedonia, Serbia and Türkiye.
6.2. Comparability - geographical
6.2.1. Comparability - geographical - Grade
All EU MS
6.2.2. Comparability - geographical - Comment
Data are comparable between all EU Member States respectively and other presented countries.
6.3. Coverage - Time
6.3.1. Time Coverage - Grade
5 to 10 years
6.3.2. Time Coverage - Comment
Presented time series (including EU aggregates) starts in 2015.
6.4. Comparability - over time
6.4.1. Comparability - over time - Grade
3 to 4 data points
6.4.2. Comparability - over time - Comment
sdg01_10: Length of comparable time series without methodological break is 3 data points.
sdg01_10a: Length of comparable time series without methodological break is longer than 4 data points.
7.1. Dissemination format - Publications
Analysis of indicator is presented in Eurostat's annual monitoring report on Sustainable development in the EU (progress towards SDGs in the EU context).
This indicator corresponds to the sum of persons who are: at risk of poverty after social transfers, severely materially and socialy deprived or living in households with very low work intensity. Persons are counted only once even if they are affected by more than one of these phenomena.
Persons are considered to be at risk of poverty after social transfers, if they have an equivalised disposable income below the risk-of-poverty threshold, which is set at 60 % of the national median equivalised disposable income.
Severe material and social deprivation rate is the proportion of the population experiencing an enforced lack of at least 7 out of 13 deprivation items (6 related to the individual and 7 related to the household)
List of items at household level:
Capacity to face unexpected expenses
Capacity to afford paying for one week annual holiday away from home
Capacity to being confronted with payment arrears (on mortgage or rental payments, utility bills, hire purchase instalments or other loan payments)
Capacity to afford a meal with meat, chicken, fish or vegetarian equivalent every second day
Ability to keep home adequately
Have access to a car/van for personal use
Replacing worn-out furniture
List of items at individual level:
Having internet connection
Replacing worn-out clothes by some new ones
Having two pairs of properly fitting shoes (including a pair of all-weather shoes)
Spending a small amount of money each week on him/herself
Having regular leisure activities
Getting together with friends/family for a drink/meal at least once a month.
Persons living in households with very low work intensity are those aged 0-64 years living in households where the adults (those aged 18-64, but excluding students aged 18-24 and persons who are retired according to their self-defined current economic status or who receive any pension (except survivors pension), as well as persona in the age bracket 60-64 who are inactive and living in a household where the main income is pensions - except survivors pension - worked less than 20% of their total combined work-time potential during the previous 12 months. Households composed only of children, of students aged less than 25 and/or persons aged 65 or more are excluded from the indicator calculation.
In order to measure child poverty, the indicator is available for the age group 0-17.
The separate table sdg_01_10a shows the breakdown of the personas at risk of poverty or social exclusion by degree of urbanisation.
12 April 2024
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Calendar year.
From 2021Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 foresees the requirements relating to geographical coverage, detailed sample characteristics, including subsampling, in accordance with Annex III, common data gathering periods, common standards for editing and imputation, weighting, estimation and variance estimation.
Before 2021 onwards EU-SILC is based on a common framework defined by harmonised lists of primary and secondary variables, common concepts, a recommended design, common requirements (such as imputation procedures, weighting, sampling errors calculation) and classifications aiming at maximising comparability of the information produced. Details can be found in the metadata of the source datasets.
% of population, thousand persons i. total ii. less than 18 years
