In France, “poverty is not exploding, but it is progressing slowly and surely”

“In France, poverty is not exploding, but it is progressing slowly and surely. » This is the main lesson to be learned from the latest report on poverty from the Observatory of Inequalities, according to Anne Brunner, director of studies for the independent body. Published this Tuesday, the 4^e edition of this inventory reports that in 2002, France had 3.8 million poor people on its territory, or 6.6% of its population. In 2022, this figure jumped to 5.1 million (8.1% of the population). In twenty years, 1.4 million more people have fallen into poverty (+ 25%).

Included in these figures are individuals whose income, after payment of social benefits, does not exceed 1,014 euros net per month for a single person. As a couple, this amount is 1,500 euros. This poverty threshold, established by INSEE and on which the Observatory is based, corresponds to half the median standard of living (2,028 euros per month).

Naturally, people affected by poverty do not form a homogeneous group. Certain segments of the population are much more affected than others, Anne Brunner would like to point out. First and foremost, unemployed people. Thus, nearly one in four unemployed people live below the poverty line. This proportion is therefore more than three times higher than the population as a whole.

Single-parent families are also very prone to suffering economically. In 2022, more than 19% of them lived below the poverty line. Immigrants have an almost similar poverty rate (18.8%). This figure reveals the difficulties encountered in integrating, training, and obtaining employment for these populations, deplores Louis Maurin, director of the Observatory.

Another alarm signal sent by the report: one in five disabled people is poor – based on the measurement of the poverty threshold located at 60% of the median standard of living. A situation particularly due to additional medical costs and “difficulties integrating into the world of work”.

One of the objectives set by the Observatory aims to fight against preconceived ideas, defends Louis Maurin. In this sense, he insists on the fact “that the idea that the poor live mainly in rural areas is false”. For good reason: almost two thirds of people (63%) who live below the poverty line live in urban areas. And within these urban centers, the proportion of poor people exceeds 19%. In eighteen disadvantaged neighborhoods in France, nearly 64% of residents are affected.

At the national level this time, it is, unsurprisingly, two overseas regions that are most affected by poverty. Thus, according to “recent but partial figures”Reunion would have 36% poor people and Martinique 26%. For comparison, Ile-de-France, the poorest region of the Metropolis, has 18%.

From this observation arises one of the blind spots of the report – which is based on INSEE figures for 2022 -: the absence of data on Guadeloupe, Mayotte and Guyana. Areas, which however “suffer misery extended to a large part of the population”. To better document the poverty of all territories, Louis Maurin calls for better consideration of these regions “far from us”. As is the counting of homeless people, many of whom have not been included in recent measures, which could reveal a much more serious reality than that already depicted.