Deprivation rate increased for seven of the 11 deprivation items in 2023

Households that are excluded and marginalised from consuming goods and services which are considered the norm for other people in society, due to an inability to afford them, are considered to be deprived. A set of 11 basic deprivation indicators is used to identify those deemed to be deprived. See Survey on Income and Living Conditions Fact Sheet (PDF 494KB) .

In 2023 the items with the highest deprivation rates were being unable to afford to replace any worn out furniture (17.8%), followed by being unable to afford to get-together with family or friends for a drink or meal once a month (12.3%), or being unable to afford a morning, afternoon or evening out in last fortnight (11.8%). See figure 2.1.

In 2023, deprivation rates increased for seven of the 11 deprivation items. The four items that registered a decrease in deprivation rate were:

1. The percentage of people unable to afford two pairs of properly fitting shoes that are suitable for daily activities, which decreased marginally from 2.1% in 2022 to 2.0% in 2023.
2. Being unable to afford a warm waterproof overcoat, which also fell marginally from 1.3% in 2022 to 1.2% in 2023.
3. Being unable to afford new (not second-hand) clothes, down from 8.6% in 2022 to 8.1% in 2023.
4. Being unable to afford to replace worn out furniture, going from 18.7% in 2022 to 17.8% in 2023. See tables 2.2 and 2.3.

The largest year-on-year increases (in percentage terms) were seen in:

1. The percentage of people unable to afford to get-together with family or friends for a drink or meal once a month went up from 9.2% in 2022 to 12.3% in 2023.
2. The percentage of people going without heating at some time during the last 12 months through lack of money (e.g. having to go without a fire on a cold day or going to bed to keep warm) went up from 8.2% in 2022 to 10.8% in 2023.

A comparison of the 2023 deprivation rates for the 11 deprivation items with the 2021 rates shows that the largest increase over the two-year period was for the percentage of people unable to afford a morning, afternoon, or evening out in the last fortnight which went up from 4.0% in 2021 to 11.8% in 2023. See tables 2.3 and 2.4.

Food-related deprivation items

The proportion of people living in households unable to afford a roast joint (or its equivalent) once a week went up from 3.3% in 2022 to 4.2% in 2023. In 2022, just over one in a hundred (1.2%) were unable to afford a meal with meat, chicken, fish (or vegetarian equivalent) every second day. The 2023 rate is slightly higher at 1.6%. See figure 2.2.

People unable to work due to long-standing health problems were least able to afford a Sunday roast

Analysis by the respondents’ principal economic status (as defined by the respondent themselves) shows that the percentage of people unable to work due to long-standing health problems who were unable to afford a roast joint (or its equivalent) once a week went up from 11.0% in 2022 to 17.9% in 2023. The rate for those who described themselves as unemployed went up from 9.6% in 2022 to 14.9% in 2023. See figure 2.3.

Similar increases in the percentage of people who were unable to afford a meal with meat, chicken, fish, (or vegetarian equivalent) every second day were not seen.  The percentage of people unable to work due to long-standing health problems who were unable to afford a meal with meat, chicken, fish, (or vegetarian equivalent) every second day increased slightly from 7.6% in 2022 to 7.9% in 2023. The comparable rate for unemployed people actually dropped from 3.7% in 2022 to 2.7% in 2023. See table 2.1.

Clothing and footwear-related deprivation items

The 2023 deprivation rates for clothing and footwear related items were relatively unchanged from the 2022 rates. For example, 8.1% of people were unable to afford new (not second-hand clothes) in 2023 compared with 8.6% in 2022. In 2023, just over one in a hundred (1.2%) were unable to afford a warm waterproof coat and one in fifty (2.0%) were unable to afford two pairs of properly fitting shoes that are suitable for daily activities. See figure 2.4.

One in five single-adult households with children were unable to afford new clothes

By household composition, one in five (19.2%) people living in single-adult household with children were unable to afford new (not second-hand) clothes, compared with one in 13 (7.6%) in two-adult households with one to three children. The percentage of people living in single-adult household with children who were unable to afford new (not second-hand) clothes has dropped by almost fifteen percentage points since 2021 when the rate was 33.7%. See figure 2.5.

Analysis by self-defined principal economic status shows that unemployed people and those unable to work due to long-standing health problems were least likely to be able to afford each of the clothing and footwear related deprivation items. One in three (34.5%) people who are unable to work due to long-standing health problems and one in five (22.0%) unemployed people were unable to afford new (not second-hand) clothes, compared with 4.4% of employed people.

One in twenty (5.1%) people unable to work due to long-standing health problems were unable to afford a warm waterproof coat, compared with less than 1% of those employed. See table 2.2.

Housing-related deprivation items

The deprivation rate for two of the three housing related deprivation items increased in 2023.

• Being without heating at some stage in the last year through lack of money went up from 8.2% in 2022 to 10.8% in 2023. The 2021 rate was 6.7%.
• The inability to keep the home adequately warm went up from 6.8% in 2022 to 7.2% in 2023. The 2021 rate was 3.4%.
• Being unable to afford to replace worn out furniture went down from 18.7% in 2022 to 17.8% in 2023. The 2021 rate was 16.2%. See Figure 2.6.

One in five people in single-adult households with children could not afford to keep the home adequately warm

An inability to afford to keep the home adequately warm increased across all analysed subgroups between 2021 and 2022. Similar increases were not seen in 2023. People living in single-adult households with children were the most likely to be unable to keep the home adequately warm (19.0%), while those living in two-adult households where at least one is aged 65 or over had the lowest rate for this deprivation item (3.3%). See figure 2.7.

By household composition, those living in single-adult households with children were also most likely to have gone without heating at some time during the last 12 months through lack of money (e.g. had to go without a fire on a cold day or go to bed to keep warm or light the fire late because of lack of coal/fuel) (23.9%). More than four in ten (44.8%) people living in single-adult households with children were unable to afford to replace worn out furniture. See table 2.3.

By self-defined principal economic status, those most unable to afford to keep the home adequately warm were the unemployed (18.5%) and people unable to work due to long-standing health problems (16.1%), compared with 4.5% of retired people and 5.0% of those employed. See figure 2.8.

People unable to work due to long-standing health problems and the unemployed were also more likely to have gone without heating at some point in the last year, 27.7% and 25.7% respectively, compared with 4.0% of retired people and 8.7% of those employed. See table 2.3.

One in five renters went without heating at some point in the last year

People living in rented or rent-free accommodation were more likely to experience heating-related deprivation than those in owner-occupied homes. One in five (21.8%) people living in rented or rent-free accommodation went without heating at some point in the last year, compared with 6.0% of people in owner-occupied housing. Similarly, 15.3% of those in rented or rent-free and 3.6% in owner-occupied accommodation were unable to afford to keep their home adequately warm. See table 2.3.

Social-related deprivation items

The proportion of people experiencing each of the social-related deprivation items increased in 2023. As noted in the SILC 2021 publication, public health restrictions were in place during the January to June 2021 data collection period, including Level 5 restrictions for more than three of the six-month data collection period. As a result the 2021 deprivation rates for social-related deprivation items may have been affected by COVID-19 related restrictions.

• The proportion unable to afford a morning, afternoon, or evening out in the last fortnight went up from 9.0% in 2022 to 11.8% in 2023. The 2023 rate is almost three time higher than the 2021 rate (11.8% and 4.0% respectively).
• Being unable to afford to get-together with family or friends for a drink or meal once a month went up from 9.2% in 2022 to 12.3% in 2023.
• Being unable to afford presents for family or friends at least once a year went up from 3.8% to 5.2%. See figure 2.9.

One in four people in rented accommodation could not afford to get-together with family or friends for a drink or meal once a month

One in four (24.8%) people living in rented or rent-free accommodation were unable to afford a morning, afternoon, or evening out in the last fortnight, and a similar percentage (24.7%) could not afford to get-together with family or friends for a drink or meal once a month. The comparable rates for those living in owner-occupied dwellings were 6.1% and 6.8% respectively. See figure 2.10 and table 2.4

At the national level, 5.2% of people could not afford to buy presents for family or friends at least once a year, up from 3.8% in 2022. One in five (18.7%) people unable to work due to long-standing health problems and one in ten (10.8%) people living in rented accommodation could not afford to buy presents for family or friends at least once a year. The comparable rate for those living in owner-occupied dwellings was 2.8%. See figure 2.11 and table 2.4.

Additional deprivation items

The following section of this chapter will focus on four additional deprivation indicators, which are not used in calculating the national enforced deprivation rate. These four deprivation indicators are:

1. Capacity to afford a one-week annual holiday away from home
2. Capacity to afford to regularly participate in a leisure activity that costs money
3. Having access to a car/van for personal use
4. The capacity to face unexpected expenses without borrowing

These four indicators are used by Eurostat (the statistical office of the European Union (EU)) to calculate EU material and social deprivation rates. See Background Notes for information on how Eurostat calculates the material and social deprivation rate and how this measure differs from the national enforced deprivation indicator. 

Ability to afford a one-week holiday away from home

In the SILC survey, the respondent to the household questionnaire was asked ‘Can you afford to go for a week’s holiday, away from home each year, including stays in a second dwelling or stays with friends/relatives? Note: Please ensure that all people in the household (including children aged one year or more and below 16) are also considered for this question.’ The answer options to this question were:

1. Yes
2. No

The answer given by the respondent to the household questionnaire is assigned to all members of the survey household.

In 2023 approximately one in four (23.8%) people could not afford a one-week holiday away from home. The comparable rate for 2022 was 26.2%. See figure 2.12.

Analysis by household tenure status shows a large difference between the rate for people living in owner-occupied accommodation and for those living in rented or rent-free accommodation. In 2023 four in ten (40.5%) people living in rented accommodation could not afford a one-week holiday compared with 16.3% of people living in owner-occupied accommodation. See figure 2.13.

Capacity to regularly participate in leisure activities that cost money

SILC survey respondents are asked ‘Do you regularly participate in a leisure activity (that costs money)?’ The answer options to this question are:

1. Yes
2. No, because cannot afford
3. No, other reason

Approximately one in six people (15.3%) were unable to afford to regularly participate in leisure activities that cost money. This is more than a two-percentage point increase in the 2022 rate (12.9%). See figure 2.14.

Analysis by self-defined principal economic status shows that people unable to work due to long-standing health problems and the unemployed had higher rates for this deprivation item when compared with other groups. Almost four in ten (37.6%) people unable to work due to long-standing health problems were unable to afford to regularly participate in a leisure activity compared with one in twenty (4.9%) retired people. See figure 2.15 and table 2.5.

Availability of a car or van for private use

In the SILC survey, the respondent to the household questionnaire was asked ‘Does your household have a car or van for private use?’ Note: Company cars or vans that are not available for private use are not included.’ Answer options to this question were:

1. Yes
2. No

Households that answer ‘No’ to this question are then asked the follow-up question: ‘Why does your household not have a car or van for private use?’ The answer options to this question are:

1. Cannot afford one
2. Other reason

The answer given by the household questionnaire respondent is assigned to all members of the survey household. All people in households where the household respondent answered ‘Cannot afford one’ are classified as being unable to afford a car or van for private use.

The percentage of people unable to afford a car or van was unchanged from the 2022 rate (6.3%). See figure 2.16.

Analysis by tenure status shows that approximately one in a hundred (1.2%) people living in owner-occupied household were unable to afford a car or van for private use. The comparable rate for people living in rented or rent-free accommodation is 17.8%. See figure 2.17.

Ability to afford an unexpected expense without borrowing

In the 2023 SILC survey, the respondent to the household questionnaire was asked ‘Can your household afford an unexpected expense of €1,400 without borrowing? Note: If the payment was made on credit then the account should be debited within 1 month.’  For information on how €1,400 was calculated as the value for an unexpected expense in the 2023 questionnaire. See Background Notes.

In 2023, one in three (34.3%) people were living in households unable afford an unexpected expense of €1,400 without borrowing.

Analysis by household composition shows that in 2023, seven in ten (71.3%) people in single-adult household with children live in a household that could not afford an unexpected expense of €1,400 without borrowing. This compares with one in five (19.9%) people in two-adult households where at least one is aged 65 or over. See figure 2.18.

Six in ten (59.9%) people in rented or rent-free households live in a household that could not afford an unexpected expense of €1,400 without borrowing compared with less than one in four (23.0%) people living in owner-occupied households. See figure 2.19 and table 2.6.