In 2022 the population facing poverty or social exclusion registered a notable improvement, declining from 27.8% to 26% compared with the previous year. This trend comes from the Living Conditions Survey (ECV) conducted by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), which monitors how people are faring across multiple dimensions of well-being. The year-on-year reduction signals that policy measures, economic conditions, and social programs may be working together to reduce financial hardship and social vulnerability for many households. The data highlight a broader shift in the overall risk of poverty, pointing to a healthier but still fragile social landscape that warrants continued attention and targeted support where gaps remain. Researchers emphasize that the headline figure reflects changes across several areas, not merely one, and that sustained progress depends on stable employment, sufficient household incomes, and access to essential goods and services.
The explanation behind the numbers centers on the AROPE ratio, which captures poverty through a composite lens. AROPE stands for at-risk-of-poverty or exclusion, and it measures poverty not only through income levels but also through the incidence of severe material deprivation and the prevalence of low employment density. In other words, it looks at whether people have enough resources, whether they live under conditions of deprivation that prevent a decent standard of living, and whether there are enough job opportunities in the area to support stable livelihoods. The 2022 figures show reductions across all three components, underscoring a multifaceted improvement rather than a single slipped metric. This broader perspective helps policymakers identify where interventions are most effective and where further work is needed to prevent setbacks in any one dimension.
From a more granular standpoint, the data reveal specific shifts in each component. The population at risk of poverty fell from 21.7% to 20.4%, indicating progress in households that would otherwise struggle to meet basic needs. Meanwhile, the rate of people experiencing serious material and social deprivation at home decreased by six tenths, landing at 7.7%, which suggests improvements in housing quality, access to essential services, and the ability to maintain a dignified living environment. At the same time, the proportion of individuals living in areas with low employment density decreased from 11.6% to 8.6%, reflecting both local labor market improvements and possibly greater opportunities for residents in previously underserved regions. Taken together, these shifts illustrate how improvements in employment conditions, income adequacy, and living standards interact to reduce overall risk.
Additionally, the 2022 survey indicates that 8.7% of the population reported ending the month with very little, or with significant difficulty, compared with 8.8% in 2021. This small but meaningful difference suggests a modest easing of the most precarious financial situations, offering relief to households that regularly navigate tight budgets. The persistent share of people who struggle to make ends meet, even as the overall indicators improve, underscores the ongoing need for persistent social protection, affordable housing, and targeted support for low-income families, the unemployed, and individuals facing barriers to employment. In this light, the INE’s findings provide a nuanced map of where policy success is evident and where continued, data-driven action is essential to ensure that gains are durable and equitably shared across communities.