In 2023, approximately 4.9 percent of European Union residents aged 16 or over reported experiencing housing difficulties in their lifetime, a situation where a person does not have their own home and is forced to stay in temporary accommodation. This is shown by the latest Eurostat data, published today on the website of the statistical agency, BTA reported.
This share is significantly higher for people at risk of poverty or social exclusion – 8.5 percent. On the other hand, only 3.9 per cent of people not at risk of poverty or social exclusion reported experiencing housing difficulties in their lifetime.
Bulgaria is in fifth place among the EU countries with the smallest share of the population (1.5 percent) with housing difficulties, after Slovakia (1.3 percent), Italy (1.2 percent), Poland and Hungary ( 0.8 percent for each), according to Eurostat data. At the other end of the scale are Cyprus (11.2 percent), Finland (10.8 percent) and Denmark (9.4 percent).
In terms of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion, the EU countries with the highest levels of housing difficulties among this group are Denmark – 18.4 per cent, Finland – 17.5 per cent and France – 17.1 per hundred. In contrast, the lowest rates were observed in Poland at 1.9 percent, Italy at 2 percent and Hungary at 2.1 percent.
EU citizens in the 16-29 and 30-54 age groups reported the highest levels of difficulty paying rent, at 14.8 per cent and 14.7 per cent respectively, the data showed.
In the age groups 55-64 years and from the age of 65 years and above, the level decreases to 12.8 and 6.7 percent, respectively.
The data shows that people at risk of poverty or social exclusion of all ages suffer the most from the difficulties of meeting rent. However, this indicator decreases with age.
For EU citizens at risk of poverty or social exclusion, difficulties in meeting rent are higher at 27.7 per cent for those aged 30-54, followed by 24 per cent for those aged 55- 64 years and 22.1 percent for 16-29 year olds. 12.9 per cent of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion, aged 65 or over, reported having difficulties in renting a home, the lowest such proportion, Eurostat reports.