The poverty and precariousness barometer shows that the French are increasingly facing difficulties in paying their bills, getting medical care or even having access to public services. The rural world is particularly affected.
Despite a slowdown in inflation, precariousness continues to increase in France. This is what the 18th barometer on this subject carried out by Ipsos for Secours populaire reveals. Nearly 62% of French people say they have experienced or been on the verge of experiencing a situation of poverty, an increase of 4 points compared to 2023. 40% say they have already experienced a period of great financial fragility this year, the highest level since 2013.
According to this study, a French person considers himself poor when his income is less than 1,431 euros per month in the Paris region and less than 1,388 euros in the rest of the country. This average subjective poverty threshold, which measures the French people’s perception of the standard of living below which a person can be considered precarious, is therefore almost equivalent to the amount of the net minimum wage, set at 1,398 euros. This is approximately 200 euros more than the poverty threshold established by INSEE.
These financial difficulties are reflected in 16% of French people declaring that they live in the red all year round. Only a little less than half of them say they manage to put money aside, a very tight budget that makes it difficult for almost one in two respondents to pay their energy bills. A third of French people also have difficulty paying their rent or mortgage, according to the barometer.
Difficulties exacerbated in the rural world
As a result, 43% of respondents say they hardly heat their homes at all. “sometimes or regularly” When it’s cold, 30% are unable to eat as healthily as they would like and one in three parents sometimes have to go without food to feed their children. 45% of parents also say they have difficulty paying for supplies, school meals and clothing for their children.
This barometer also highlights the marginalization of rural residents. 57% of them cannot afford to go on vacation, 40% cannot buy digital equipment in working order, and 44% find it difficult to access health services. A quarter also feel inaccessibility to various social services (assistance for the elderly, children, employment, etc.). These figures are higher than the national average.
A situation that makes eight out of ten French people pessimistic about the risk that their children will one day live in poverty. Nevertheless, one positive point emerges from the report: solidarity is not weakening in France, with two thirds of those surveyed saying they are personally involved in helping people in poverty. A quarter of French people also declare themselves volunteers in an association according to the study “The French and volunteering in 2023” by Ifop, or around 15 million people aged 16 or over.
