The new Secours populaire barometer draws up an alarming observation: precariousness is worsening in France in 2024. While inflation persists, more and more French people are struggling to make ends meet and meet their basic needs. The association is sounding the alarm on a deteriorating social situation.
Rising poverty thresholds and growing pessimism
The subjective poverty threshold, i.e. the income below which the French consider themselves poor, now stands at €1,396 per month, an increase of €19 compared to 2023. This amount, almost equivalent to the minimum wage (€1,398 net), varies according to region and family composition. In Île-de-France, for example, this threshold stands at €1,431 per month.
Even more worrying, 62% of respondents say they have already feared falling into poverty, an increase of 4 points in one year. Pessimism is also gaining ground regarding the future of children: 79% of French people fear that their offspring will one day experience a precarious situation.
France: Deprivations intensifying in all areas
Financial difficulties are evident in many aspects of daily life. For example, 57% of respondents, and up to 62% in rural areas, struggle to pay their energy bills or go on holiday. Housing, medical care and leisure are also becoming problematic for a growing proportion of the population.
Faced with these constraints, adaptation strategies are multiplying: 43% of French people say they limit their heating in winter due to lack of means, while 30% have difficulty eating properly. Even more alarming, nearly one in three parents say they deprive themselves of food in order to feed their children.
Rural areas particularly affected
The study highlights that poverty hits rural areas harder. Access to essential services, particularly health, is more difficult there: two out of five inhabitants encounter obstacles in consulting a health professional. Expenses related to telephone and internet also weigh more heavily on the budget of rural households.
Despite this bleak picture, solidarity remains strong: 66% of French people express their willingness to get involved in helping people in poverty. The Secours populaire can count on the daily commitment of its 90,000 volunteers.
This alarming barometer comes in an already tense economic context, marked by persistent inflation and uncertain growth prospects. It underlines the urgency of structural measures to stem this rise in precariousness which threatens the social cohesion of the country.
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