Published on 2 May 2023

In Switzerland, every twentieth person was materially and socially deprived in 2021

Neuchâtel, 2.5.2023 - The new material and social deprivation rate describes the proportion of people who have to forego important goods, services and social activities for financial reasons. In 2021, this affected 5.2% of the population in Switzerland, or around 448 000 people. The poverty rate with 8.7% was almost at the same level as before the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the overall standard of living in Switzerland still remains one of the highest in Europe. These are some of the findings from the 2021 Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) conducted by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).