Special Eurobarometer 'European social reality'

Special EUROBAROMETER 273 “European Social Reality” Report
Poverty is thus perceived to be a realistic possibility in European society. In fact, one
European in four feels that there is a risk that he or she could personally fall into
poverty (25%) 45 .
Europeans who feel that anyone is at risk of falling into poverty at some time in their
lives, are more likely to estimate that they themselves might fall into poverty (28%)
than are people who feel that the risk of poverty is confined to certain groups (21%).
"I feel there is a risk that I
could fall into poverty"
EU25
Anyone is at risk of
poverty at some
time in their
- 63 -
The risk of poverty
is confined to
certain groups
Agree 25% 28% 21%
Disagree 54% 49% 62%
Neither or DK 21% 23% 16%
Total 100% 100% 100%
Who are the people that believe they are most at risk of falling into poverty, that is
to say, who are the vulnerable groups in European society?
Being unemployed appears to be the most important risk factor when it comes to
poverty. Close to half of Europeans who are unemployed feel that there is a risk that
they could fall into poverty (44%). Other groups with significantly higher than
average numbers feeling at risk are those who left full-time education before turning
16 and people in the ages of 40 to 54.
These results further highlight why unemployment is the main concern of Europeans
and why education is seen as the most important thing in order to get ahead in life.
45 QA22-3. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?