In 2018, 26.3% of Luxembourgish households admitted that they struggled to make ends meet. The number is down by 2% compared to the previous year, and identical to the same statistics in 2015.
4.5% of households estimate that it is "very difficult" to make ends meet, whereas 6.9% find it "difficult", and the remaining 14.9% find it "rather difficult."
The press release outlined that these statistics emerge from households estimating their own capabilities of remaining on top of expenses, rather than quantitative data.
Of those subcategories, the first has dropped by 1% compared to 2017, and the others remain stable. The statistics portal Statec has used data issued by the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions to highlight that the majority of the households struggling financially do so because of the costs associated with housing. For nearly 70% of those who struggle financially, the costs of housing are a clear concern.
Specifically, 33% of Luxembourg households in 2018 consider the cost of housing to be a significant financial burden, alongside 46.2% who consider it a moderately significant burden. 20.3% of households do not view housing as a financial burden at all. Put another way, four out of five households in Luxembourg believe the cost of housing to a financial struggle.
Statec also saw a correlation between those who struggle to make ends meet and the estimation of housing as a significant financial burden - 69.2% of households who admitted to struggling financially believe that the cost of housing is a significant source of pressure.
The households that struggle to make ends meet are excluded from purchasing certain goods and services due to their financial situation, which in turn causes them to struggle to integrate into society. Only 48.6% of these households are financially able to face sudden expenses, whereas a third is unable to afford a week-long holiday away from their home.
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