Data extracted in 26 September 2024.
Planned article update: October 2025.
Highlights
In 2023, 45.5% of non-EU citizens residing in the EU, 27.9% of EU citizens living in another EU country and 18.9% of nationals living in their own country faced the risk of poverty or social exclusion.
In 2023, the risk of poverty or social exclusion in the EU was higher for women than for men regardless the citizenship: nationals (20.2% vs. 17.6%), citizens of other EU countries (28.8% vs. 27.0%), with the biggest gap among non-EU citizens (47.4% vs. 43.5%).
_n3.png)
(%)
Source: Eurostat (ilc_peps05n)
This article presents European statistics on the risk of poverty or social exclusion among adults, with an analysis according to an individual’s citizenship. The data presented in this article are from the EU statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC) and generally refers to people aged 18 years and over.
This article forms part of an online publication on migrant integration statistics.
Key findings
Foreign citizens are much more likely to be at risk of poverty or social exclusion than the nationals.
- In 2023, 45.5% of non-EU citizens residing in the EU faced the risk of poverty or social exclusion, compared with 27.9% of EU citizens living in another EU country and 18.9% of nationals living in their own country.
Irrespective of the citizenship, women and young persons age 16-29 were more at risk of poverty or social exclusion.
The risk of poverty or social exclusion is not dependent strictly on a household's level of income, as it may also reflect joblessness, low work intensity, working status, or a range of other socio-economic characteristics. To calculate the number or share of people who are at risk of poverty or social exclusion three separate measures are combined and this covers those people who are in at least one of these three situations:
- people who are at risk of poverty, in other words, with an equivalised disposable income that is below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold;
- people who suffer from severe material and social deprivation, in other words, those who cannot afford at least seven out of thirteen deprivation items (six related to the individual and seven related to the household) that are considered by most people to be desirable or even necessary to lead an adequate quality of life;
- people (aged less than 65 years) living in a household with very low work intensity, in other words, those living in households where adults worked for 20 % or less of their total combined work-time potential during the previous twelve months.
When looking at the three types of risks the following can be observed:
- non-EU citizens recorded highest shares of all three components contributing to the risk of poverty or social exclusion: 36.6% of them faced the risk of poverty, 15.0% experienced severe material and social deprivation and 16.8% lived in households with very low work intensity;
- citizens of other EU countries had the lowest share of those living in households with very low work intensity (7.4%);
- finally, it was less common for nationals to face the risk of poverty (14.1%) and experience severe material and social deprivation (5.9%).
People at risk of poverty or social exclusion
Almost one in two non-EU citizens in the EU are at risk of poverty or social exclusion
Figure 1 indicates that the risk of poverty or social exclusion in the EU was lower among nationals living in their own country than it was among the two subpopulations of foreign citizens.
The differences between nationals and non-EU citizens have, however, narrowed: while the rate for nationals slightly decreased (from 19.5% in 2020 to 18.9% in 2023), the rate for non-EU citizens dropped more significantly from 48.6% in 2020 to 45.5% in 2023.
In contrast, between 2021 and 2023, the value for citizens of other EU countries slightly increased (from 27.5% to 27.9%) and the gap with nationals widened.
When analysed by country of birth, a broadly similar pattern can be observed, albeit with smaller differences between the three subpopulations.
_n4.png)
(%)
Source: Eurostat (ilc_peps05n) and (ilc_peps06n)
In 2023, the share of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion varied between EU countries and different groups of citizenship, although with some common features (Figure 2).
_n.png)
(%)
Source: Eurostat (ilc_peps05n)
Foreign citizens are much more likely to be at risk of poverty or social exclusion than nationals in the majority of EU countries. In particular, Spain and France where one in two non-EU citizens was in this situation in 2023. The only country where fewer non-EU citizens faced a risk of poverty or social exclusion was Poland.
For a few countries in central Europe with smaller migrant populations, plus Ireland and Portugal, it can be noted that fewer citizens of other EU countries than nationals faced a risk of poverty or social exclusion.
A more detailed analysis of the results for 2023 for the two subpopulations of foreign citizens reveals that the share of people who are at risk of poverty or social exclusion was lower for citizens of other EU countries than for non-EU citizens in 18 of the 19 EU countries with reliable data. The only exception was Slovenia, where the share was somewhat lower for non-EU citizens. The largest differences in the shares between the two foreign subpopulations were observed in France (24.4 pp), Austria (23.1 pp) and Sweden (22.3 pp).
Young people are more at risk of poverty or social exclusion
For young people (aged 16–29 years), the shares of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion were higher than for the general age group of 18 years and over. This was observed for all categories of citizenship, in so far as data are available. For the core working age group 20–64 years, irrespective of the citizenship, the shares of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion were lower than those for persons aged 18 years and over (Figure 3).
_n.png)
(%)
Source: Eurostat (ilc_peps05n)
Figure 4 compares, at the country level, the shares of nationals and non-EU citizens at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2023 for two age groups: 16–29 years and 20–64 years. The same comparison is not possible for citizens of other European countries due to limited data availability.
_n.png)
(%)
Source: Eurostat (ilc_peps05n)
Looking at the data for nationals, it emerges that, in most EU countries, younger nationals are more likely to be at risk of poverty or social exclusion than nationals of the core working age. The highest differences were observed in Finland (14.4 pp), Luxembourg (12.6 pp) and Denmark (11.4 pp).
A similar situation is observed for non-EU citizens: core working age people are less likely to be at risk of poverty or social exclusion compared with their younger counterparts. For countries with reliable data, the most significant difference was observed in Greece (19.7 pp).
For all countries except Poland, non-EU citizens aged 16-29 face a higher risk of poverty or social exclusion compared to nationals in the same age group. This difference was, however, limited in Luxembourg (0.9 pp), while the highest differences were observed in Portugal (38.0 pp), Belgium (36.7 pp) and Slovenia (34.1 pp).
For core working age, non-EU citizens are much more likely to be at risk of poverty or social exclusion compared to nationals, with the highest differences observed in Austria (33.2 pp), Cyprus (32.7 pp) and France (32.6 pp). The only exception was observed again for Poland, where the share of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion aged 20-64 years was lower for non-EU citizens than for nationals.
Non-EU citizen women faced a particularly high risk of poverty or social exclusion
For men, the shares of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion are lower than for women in the EU. This was observed in 2023 for all categories of citizenship analysed. The difference between the two sexes in the shares of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion was largest for non-EU citizens and smallest for EU citizens living in another EU country (Figure 5).
_n.png)
(%)
Source: Eurostat (ilc_peps05n)
Figure 6 compares, at the country level, the shares of nationals and non-EU citizens at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2023 for men and women.
_n.png)
(%)
Source: Eurostat (ilc_peps05n)
In 21 out of 22 EU countries with complete and reliable data, non-EU citizens are much more likely to be at risk of poverty or social exclusion than nationals, both for men and women. The only exception was Poland where the reversed situation was observed. For men, the most significant differences were observed in Belgium (34.6 pp), Spain (33.8 pp), France and Austria (each 33.5 pp). For women, the most significant differences were observed in Austria (35.9 pp), France (35.1 pp) and Spain (35.0 pp).
Non-EU citizen women face a higher risk of poverty or social exclusion than non-EU citizen men in almost all presented countries, with Ireland, Finland, Malta and Belgium, being the exceptions. The highest differences were observed in Latvia (20.2 pp) and Denmark (15.4 pp).
For nationals, in all EU countries, women are more likely to be at risk of poverty or social exclusion than men. The largest differences were observed in Lithuania (6.0 pp) and Luxembourg (5.3 pp).
Component indicators which contribute to an analysis of the risk of poverty or social exclusion
As explained in the beginning of this article, there are three groups of people that are combined to calculate the share of the population that is at risk of poverty or social exclusion, namely: peeople who are at risk of poverty, those facing severe material and social deprivation, and those living in households with very low work intensity. These groups can overlap, with some people belonging to just one of the groups, some to two of them and some to all three. At-risk-of-poverty rate
In 2023 in the EU, the risk of poverty was particularly concentrated among non-EU citizens (36.6%) when compared with citizens of other EU countries (21.0%) and nationals (14.1%).
An analysis for the EU countries reveals that non-EU citizens are more likely to be at risk of poverty than the nationals in all the countries with reliable data; in particular, in Spain, France, the Netherlands and Austria, where four in ten non-EU citizens were in this situation in 2023. The only exception was Poland, where fewer non-EU citizens than nationals were facing a risk of poverty.
The pattern of a higher share of citizens of other EU countries (than nationals) facing the risk of poverty in 2023 was also observed in 18 out of the 19 EU countries for which data are reliable, whereas the situation was the reverse for Portugal.
Additionally, a more detailed analysis of the results for the two subpopulations of foreign citizens shows that the share of people at risk of poverty was lower for EU citizens living in another EU country than for non-EU citizens living in the EU in 18 of the 19 countries in 2023. The only exception was Slovenia, where the share was lower for non-EU citizens. The largest differences in the shares between these two foreign subpopulations were observed in France (24.6 pp) and the Netherlands (20.0 pp).
_n.png)
(%)
Source: Eurostat (ilc_li31)
Severe material and social deprivation rate
In 2023 in the EU, severe material and social deprivation was more widespread among non-EU citizens (15.0%) than it was among citizens of other EU countries (8.3%) and nationals (5.9%).
A comparison of severe material and social deprivation rates among two subpopulations of foreign citizens is available for 18 EU countries with reliable data (Figure 8); this confirms that the rates for non-EU citizens were generally higher than those for EU citizens living in another EU country in 2023. The only exceptions were Ireland, Portugal, the Netherlands and Slovenia, where the rates for non-EU citizens were lower.
An analysis for 18 of the EU countries with reliable data reveals that in 16 countries it was more common for EU citizens living in another EU country to experience severe material and social deprivation than nationals, while the reverse was true in Austria and Malta. For non-EU citizens, share of non-EU citizens suffering from severe material and social deprivation was higher than the share for nationals in 17 out of 23 EU countries with reliable data, with the most significant difference observed in Greece (23.0 pp).
_n.png)
(%)
Source: Eurostat (ilc_mdsd15)
People living in households with very low work intensity
The final situation that contributes towards defining people as being at risk of poverty or social exclusion is the share of people living in households with very low work intensity. In 2023 in the EU, 16.8% of non-EU citizens were living in households with very low work intensity. This was considerably lower among nationals (7.6%); and citizens of other EU countries (7.4%).
A comparison between non-EU citizens and nationals shows that non-EU citizens had higher shares of those living in households with very low work intensity in 13 EU countries (of 22 with reliable data), with the largest differences observed for Germany (16.6 pp), Sweden (14.2 pp),
France (12.8 pp) and Belgium (10.7 pp) (Figure 9). By contrast, in 8 countries, the situation was reversed, with the largest differences observed for Lithuania (5.0 pp) and Ireland (4.3 pp). In Estonia the shares were identical.
The pattern of a lower share of citizens of other EU countries (than nationals) living in households with very low work intensity in 2023 was repeated in 9 out of the 18 EU countries for which data are reliable. It was most apparent in Cyprus and Ireland, where nationals were 4.5 and 3.3 times as likely to live in a household with very low work intensity as citizens of other EU countries.
_n.png)
(%)
Source: Eurostat (ilc_lvhl15n)
Source data for tables and graphs
Data sources
The data used in this article are derived from EU-SILC. EU-SILC data are compiled annually and are the main source of statistics that measure income and living conditions in Europe; it is also the main source of information used to link different aspects relating to the quality of life of households and individuals.
The reference population for the information presented in this article is all private households and their current members residing in the territory of an EU country (or non-EU member country) at the time of data collection; people living in collective households and in institutions are generally excluded from the target population. The data for the EU are population-weighted averages of national data. For more information on the data sources used, please consult EU statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC) methodology.
In several EU countries, the detailed classification of foreign citizens and foreign-born persons identifies quite small numbers of persons. As the data source is a sample survey, the reliability of data in such cases may be low: data that are of low quality are published with an appropriate footnote while some data cannot be published for reasons of confidentiality.
Context
At risk of poverty or social exclusion, abbreviated as AROPE, corresponds to the sum of people who are either at risk of poverty, or severely materially and socially deprived or living in a household with a very low work intensity. People are included only once even if they are in more than one of these situations. The AROPE ratio is the share of the total population which is at risk of poverty or social exclusion. The headline target (EU2030 target) on poverty and social inclusion of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan is to reduce the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion by at least 15 million by 2030. Progress towards this target is monitored through the AROPE rate, published by Eurostat.
In November 2020, an Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion 2021–2027 (COM(2016) 377 final) was adopted with the purpose of fostering social cohesion and building inclusive societies for all. Inclusion for all is about ensuring that all policies are accessible to and work for everyone, including migrants and EU citizens with migrant background. This plan includes actions in four sectoral areas (education and training, employment and skills, health and housing) as well as actions supporting effective integration and inclusion in all sectoral areas at the EU, EU country and regional level, with a specific attention paid to young persons. More information on the policies and legislation in force in this area can be found in an introductory article on migrant integration statistics.
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Database
- Social inclusion (mii_soinc)
- Income distribution and monetary poverty (mii_ip)
- People at risk of poverty and social exclusion (mii_pe)
- Persons at risk of poverty or social exclusion by group of citizenship (population aged 18 and over) (ilc_peps05n)
- Persons at risk of poverty or social exclusion by group of country of birth (population aged 18 and over) (ilc_peps06n)
- Living condition (mii_lc)
- Material deprivation (mii_md)