Poverty and Exclusion

Since 1973, the European Commission has been monitoring the evolution of public opinion in the Member States. In addition to half-yearly Standard Eurobarometers where an essentially standard set of questions are posed, 'Special' one-off surveys are also carried out, usually at the request of particular DGs of the European Commission on particular topics.

European Union citizen generally think that poverty is a widespread problem that affects the majority of people to some extent. On average, they feel that in the area where they live one person in ten lives in situations of extreme poverty. In the new Member States, twice as many people feel that people in their area live in situations of poverty compared with the former EU15 countries (63% vs. 32%).

Long-term unemployment is the most frequently mentioned as cause of poverty (35%), followed by current work not paying enough (34%) and social benefits or pensions not being high enough (33%). Loosing one’s job is also seen as the most important reason why people become homeless.

This results from a Eurobarometer survey commissioned by the European Commission to better understand the views of European citizens regarding the existence and causes of poverty and homelessness. The survey also studies what is regarded as necessary in order to have a decent standard of living with regards to financial means, and other non-monetary aspects of social exclusion: housing needs, ownership of durable goods, basic necessities and social integration and pays particular attention to people’s views concerning the requirements and the needs of children to live and develop well.