People Facing Poverty or Social Exclusion in the EU in 2023

In 2023, approximately 94.6 million individuals in the European Union, accounting for 21% of the population, were at risk of poverty or social exclusion. These individuals lived in households experiencing at least one of the following conditions: risk of poverty, severe material and social deprivation, or very low work intensity. This number represents a slight decline from 2022, when 95.3 million people (22% of the population) were at risk.

This data was released by Eurostat today, with this summary highlighting key points from the detailed "Statistics Explained" article.

The proportion of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion varied significantly across EU countries in 2023. Romania reported the highest rate at 32%, followed by Bulgaria at 30%, Spain at 27%, and Greece at 26%. Conversely, the lowest rates were observed in Czechia (12%), Slovenia (14%), and both Finland and Poland (16%).