In 2022, the European Union witnessed a severe material and social deprivation rate of 6.1% among young individuals aged 15 to 29 years, according to the latest data published by the European Statistical Office (EUROSTAT). The equivalent figure in the Czech Republic was 1.8%, one of the lowest among EU states.
The highest proportions of young people encountering severe material and social deprivation in 2022 were found in Romania (25%), Bulgaria (19%), and Greece (15%).
On the other side, the rate remained below 3% in 12 EU member states: Slovenia, Austria, Luxembourg, Croatia, Poland, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Estonia, Malta, Cyprus, Finland, and Sweden. Of the states included in the data (EU + Norway and Switzerland), the Czech Republic was ranked 7th for lowest risk of severe youth deprivation. The lowest risk was reported in Slovenia, where just 0.5% of young people face severe deprivation.
The rate was slightly higher (6.7%) among the total population (all people living in private households).
The share of socially or materially deprived young people in Europe slightly increased in 2022 after falling sharply until 2020.
