1.1.a, b Material and social deprivation, as well as severe material and social deprivation
The data used for this indicator is based on the Europe-wide harmonised annual survey on income and living conditions (EU-SILC). In the 2020 survey year, EU-SILC underwent extensive methodological revisions and was integrated into the microcensus in response to increasing demands for up-to-date data and the provision of more detailed regional results. As a result of this realignment, the data from 2020 onwards is not comparable with that of previous years.
As part of the development of the Europe 2030 targets, the previous indicator of “material deprivation” was revised and expanded to include aspects of social deprivation. Since 2021, it has therefore been referred to as the indicator of “material and social deprivation”. Individuals affected by material and social deprivation experience significantly restricted living conditions due to a lack of financial resources. They, or the household in which they live, are unable to afford at least five of the following thirteen specified items – in the case of severe material and social deprivation, this applies to at least seven of the thirteen items:
The household cannot afford:
1. To pay rent, mortgage instalments, utility bills, or consumer/instalment loans on time;
2. To keep the home adequately warm;
3. To cover unexpected expenses of a certain amount from their own resources;
4. To eat a meal containing meat, fish or a vegetarian equivalent every other day;
5. To take a one-week holiday away from home each year;
6. To own a car (excluding company or business cars);
7. To replace worn-out furniture.
The individual cannot afford:
8. To replace worn-out clothes with new (not second-hand) garments;
9. To own at least two pairs of properly fitting shoes in good condition;
10. To spend a small amount of money each week on themselves;
11. To participate regularly in leisure activities (even if they involve costs);
12. To meet with friends or family for a drink or meal at least once a month;
13. To have an internet connection.
The six individual indicators (points 8 to 13) are only collected for persons aged 16 and over. For children under 16, the data is derived from the responses of household members aged 16 and over. The rule applied is: if at least half of the household members aged 16 or over report being unable to afford a specific item (such as replacing worn-out clothes), this is assumed to apply to the children under 16 in that household as well. In addition, it is assessed whether children under 16 live in a disadvantaged household – that is, whether at least three of the seven household-level criteria are met (such as not being able to heat the home adequately).
To ensure data comparability, the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) has recalculated figures for years prior to 2021 based on the new indicator.
Over time, deprivation rates in the EU have consistently been higher than those in Germany. According to Eurostat calculations, in 2024, 12.1% of the EU population were affected by material and social deprivation. This figure was 0.7 percentage points higher than the corresponding figure for Germany, which stood at 11.4%. The difference was smaller in the case of severe material and social deprivation: in 2024, 6.2% of the population in Germany were affected – only 0.2 percentage points below the EU average. The politically determined target was therefore met in 2024 – although in the case of severe deprivation, only narrowly.
Clearer differences emerge within Germany across age groups. The deprivation rate among those under the age of 16 stood at 13.0%, above the national average, whereas it was only 8.1% for those aged 65 and over. A similar pattern appears with regard to severe material and social deprivation: 7.5% of under-16s were affected, compared to just 4.3% of people aged 65 and over.
When examining individual deprivation criteria, some marked differences can also be observed. While comparatively few respondents reported being unable to afford an internet connection (2.5%) or at least two pairs of shoes in good condition (3.9%), around one-third (32.2%) stated that they could not cover unexpected expenses from their own financial resources.
