Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

In 2023, 20.0% of adults aged 25 to 59 in the European Union who reported a poor financial situation in their family at around the age of 14 were at risk of poverty, compared to 12.4% of those who described their family's financial situation at that age as good.

These data show that the social, economic and financial situation during the teenage years may affect the standard of living in adulthood. According to what was published by the European Statistical Office in Brussels "Eurostat" on the subject of the transmission of disadvantages between generations. The office published information on adults at risk of poverty and their financial situation in childhood, 2023, % of the population aged 25 to 59, according to the financial situation of the family when the respondent was around 14 years old. At the national level, Bulgaria reported the largest gaps in poverty risk considering the family’s financial situation in childhood: 48.1% of those who reported a poor financial situation in their family at age 14 were at risk of poverty, compared to 14.4% of those who reported a good financial situation. Romania showed similar figures, with 42.1% and 14.6% respectively. Italy followed with 34.0% compared to 14.4%. In contrast, Denmark was the only country where adults living in financially disadvantaged families did not face a higher risk of poverty later on: 8.5% for those from families with a poor financial situation versus 8.9% for those with a good financial situation. Differences between the two groups were also small in Slovenia (10.9% and 10.4%) and Finland (10.1% and 9.2%).