The evolution of the lack of material and the serious social handicap in families in Spain is not very encouraging: while between 2015 and 2023 this indicator decreased on average for all countries of the European Union, in Spain it increased.
In fact, the proportion of people who cannot afford to cover their basic needs increased by 7.7% to 9% between 2022 and 2023, a period during which the economy and employment have grown in Spain at a higher level than in most European countries.
Spain ranks fifth among countries with the highest levels of deprivation severe on the material and social levelonly behind Romania (19.8%), Bulgaria (18%), Greece (13.5%) and Hungary (10.4%). On the other hand, countries such as Poland, Finland, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Estonia and Sweden have significantly lower rates, with figures below 3%, as highlighted in the latest Focus on Spanish Society, a publication edited by Funcas.
Material shortage in families
The weight of the material and social lack Severe material and social deprivation in Spain varies considerably by housing type. In all European countries, households with two or more adults and dependent children have lower rates of severe material and social deprivation than single-parent households. It is also common for these two-parent households with children – nuclear families – to have lower rates of deprivation than those with a single person aged 65 or over.
Spain, however, as Funcas points out, deviates from this pattern: even though the rate of households formed by two parents and child(ren), is 8.2 points lower than that of single-parent households and 4.5 points higher than that of households with a person aged 65 or over. Thus, in Spain, unlike in the rest of European countries, single-person households for the elderly face a lower risk of severe deprivation than households consisting of nuclear families with minors.
According to the Funcas alert, the single parent families They face a much higher risk than other family structures. In fact, the Spanish rate of severe material and social deprivation in this type of household composed of an adult with one or more dependent children (18.4%) is three percentage points higher than the European average (15.2%) and only records higher values in Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Hungary and Malta.
The prevalence of severe material and social deprivation also varies according to the number of children in the household. In most European Union countries, the difference between having one or two children It is relatively low, but the deprivation rate increases significantly with the third child. Spain follows the same pattern: one in six households (15.6%) with three or more children is in a situation of serious material and social deprivation. Once again, this proportion places Spain in a disadvantageous position in the European context.
