Living conditions, 2021
One week annual holiday more accessible, getting together with friends/relatives less so
More households made ends meet easy or very easy compared to the previous year (2021: 28%; 2020: 20%). Fewer people got together with friends/relatives for a drink/meal than before the COVID-19 epidemic (2021: 68%; 2019: 93%).
Financial capabilities of the households better
The share of households estimating that they were able to make ends meet without difficulty (easy, very easy) increased compared to 2020 by 8 percentage points (2021: 28%). The share of households that made ends meet with difficulty (difficulty, great difficulty) decreased (to 14%).
Among households that lived above the at-risk-of-poverty threshold, 30% made ends meet without difficulty, which is 7 percentage points more than a year ago. Among households that lived below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold, there were 13% such households, which is 4 percentage points more than a year ago. At the same time, among households living below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold, the share of those that reported having struggled to make ends meet decreased (2021: 37%; 2020: 46%).
The share of households that made ends meet without difficulty was the highest in the Osrednjeslovenska statistical region (33%) and the lowest in the Pomurska statistical region (19%).
Housing costs have impact on financial capabilities. For 22% of households housing costs were a heavy burden, which is 5 percentage points fewer than in 2020. For 19% of households housing costs were not a burden at all, which is 5 percentage points more than in the previous year.
Unexpected financial expenses in the amount of EUR 700 could be handled by 72% of households. According to housing status, most owners of the dwelling could afford unexpected expenses (76%), while among tenants this was true for 45%.
One-week annual holidays outside home accessible for a larger share of households
In 2021, 80% of households could afford one week annual holidays outside home for all household members, which was 3 percentage points more than in the previous year and the highest share ever recorded in Slovenia. Such a high share was also affected by tourist vouchers.
The share of households that could afford annual holidays outside home for all household members was the highest in the Goriška (87%) and Osrednjeslovenska statistical regions (86%) and the lowest in the Primorsko-notranjska (71%) and Posavka statistical regions (70%).
Access to one week annual holidays for all members was also affected by the financial situation of households. One-week annual holidays could be afforded by 32% of households that had great difficulty or difficulty in making ends meet and by 97% of households that made ends meet very easily or easily
On average higher overall life satisfaction
Persons aged 16 or more assessed their overall life satisfaction in 2021 with an average score of 7.7 (on the scale from 0 – Not at all satisfied, to 10 – Completely satisfied). This was 0.2 higher than the average self-assessment in 2019 (7.5), which was before the coronavirus crisis. If we compare young people (16–29 years old) and older people (65 or more years old) who rated their lives with the highest assessments (9–10), we find that this share among young people decreased by 2 percentage points (to 38 %), while among the elderly the share with the highest assessments (9–10) increased by 4 percentage points (to 22%).
Getting together with friends/relatives less likely due to COVID-19 and related measures
The share of persons aged 16+ who got together with friends/relatives for a drink/meal was 68%, 25 p.p. lower than in 2019 (93%). The main reason for not socializing for 26% of persons was COVID-19 and related measures. The rest did not socialize for other reasons (4%) and for financial reasons (2%). Young people, employees, and those who assessed their health as very good socialised more. There were no significant differences between men and women.
Most households had an adequately warm or cool dwelling
In the winter of 2021, 98% of households could afford to keep their home adequately warm. Meanwhile, 84% of households reported that their home was adequately cool during summer. Among households living in houses, this share was 87%, and among those living in multi-apartment buildings, 80%. 36% of households had air conditioning in their homes. As expected, more households in cities (40%) had air conditioning than in rural areas (31%).
The share of households estimating that they were able to make ends meet without difficulty (easy, very easy) increased compared to 2020 by 8 percentage points (2021: 28%). The share of households that made ends meet with difficulty (difficulty, great difficulty) decreased (to 14%).
Among households that lived above the at-risk-of-poverty threshold, 30% made ends meet without difficulty, which is 7 percentage points more than a year ago. Among households that lived below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold, there were 13% such households, which is 4 percentage points more than a year ago. At the same time, among households living below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold, the share of those that reported having struggled to make ends meet decreased (2021: 37%; 2020: 46%).
The share of households that made ends meet without difficulty was the highest in the Osrednjeslovenska statistical region (33%) and the lowest in the Pomurska statistical region (19%).
Housing costs have impact on financial capabilities. For 22% of households housing costs were a heavy burden, which is 5 percentage points fewer than in 2020. For 19% of households housing costs were not a burden at all, which is 5 percentage points more than in the previous year.
Unexpected financial expenses in the amount of EUR 700 could be handled by 72% of households. According to housing status, most owners of the dwelling could afford unexpected expenses (76%), while among tenants this was true for 45%.
One-week annual holidays outside home accessible for a larger share of households
In 2021, 80% of households could afford one week annual holidays outside home for all household members, which was 3 percentage points more than in the previous year and the highest share ever recorded in Slovenia. Such a high share was also affected by tourist vouchers.
The share of households that could afford annual holidays outside home for all household members was the highest in the Goriška (87%) and Osrednjeslovenska statistical regions (86%) and the lowest in the Primorsko-notranjska (71%) and Posavka statistical regions (70%).
Access to one week annual holidays for all members was also affected by the financial situation of households. One-week annual holidays could be afforded by 32% of households that had great difficulty or difficulty in making ends meet and by 97% of households that made ends meet very easily or easily
On average higher overall life satisfaction
Persons aged 16 or more assessed their overall life satisfaction in 2021 with an average score of 7.7 (on the scale from 0 – Not at all satisfied, to 10 – Completely satisfied). This was 0.2 higher than the average self-assessment in 2019 (7.5), which was before the coronavirus crisis. If we compare young people (16–29 years old) and older people (65 or more years old) who rated their lives with the highest assessments (9–10), we find that this share among young people decreased by 2 percentage points (to 38 %), while among the elderly the share with the highest assessments (9–10) increased by 4 percentage points (to 22%).
Getting together with friends/relatives less likely due to COVID-19 and related measures
The share of persons aged 16+ who got together with friends/relatives for a drink/meal was 68%, 25 p.p. lower than in 2019 (93%). The main reason for not socializing for 26% of persons was COVID-19 and related measures. The rest did not socialize for other reasons (4%) and for financial reasons (2%). Young people, employees, and those who assessed their health as very good socialised more. There were no significant differences between men and women.
Most households had an adequately warm or cool dwelling
In the winter of 2021, 98% of households could afford to keep their home adequately warm. Meanwhile, 84% of households reported that their home was adequately cool during summer. Among households living in houses, this share was 87%, and among those living in multi-apartment buildings, 80%. 36% of households had air conditioning in their homes. As expected, more households in cities (40%) had air conditioning than in rural areas (31%).
METHODOLOGICAL NOTE
The source for data on living conditions is the Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (SILC), which was implemented with the survey in 2021 and the use of administrative and registers data mostly for 2020.
Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, for the first time, data were collected only with telephone interviewing, because personal interviewing was not possible. Mainly due to unavailability of telephone numbers, the response rate was much lower than in previous years. Furthermore, the data collection period was much longer – from February to the end of September. By 2020, data were collected by telephone interviewing and also by personal interviewing in the first half of the year. For 2020, data were collected in two periods (15 January–15 March and 15 May–15 September). The data for 2021 are not completely comparable with the data from previous years nor with 2020 data, since the survey had to be stopped.
The provisional data published in the First Release on 10 February 2022 are supplemented with final data. The majority of the final data are not different from the provisional data.
The final data from the ad hoc module Living conditions of children, Slovenia, 2021 will be published on 22 September 2022.
Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, for the first time, data were collected only with telephone interviewing, because personal interviewing was not possible. Mainly due to unavailability of telephone numbers, the response rate was much lower than in previous years. Furthermore, the data collection period was much longer – from February to the end of September. By 2020, data were collected by telephone interviewing and also by personal interviewing in the first half of the year. For 2020, data were collected in two periods (15 January–15 March and 15 May–15 September). The data for 2021 are not completely comparable with the data from previous years nor with 2020 data, since the survey had to be stopped.
The provisional data published in the First Release on 10 February 2022 are supplemented with final data. The majority of the final data are not different from the provisional data.
The final data from the ad hoc module Living conditions of children, Slovenia, 2021 will be published on 22 September 2022.
When making use of the data and information of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, always add: "Source: SURS". More: Copyright.
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