Insee Focus · May 2021 · n° 238

In the first quarter of 2021, 22% of households declare a drop in income compared to March 2020

As a result of the confinement-induced fall in consumption, the proportion of households reporting difficulties in making ends meet has fallen over the past year. In the first quarter of 2021, 22% of households nevertheless declared that their income had decreased compared to March 2020, i.e. twice as many as those who declared that it had increased (9%). Average income losses are also greater than gains (-'290 per month per consumption unit, compared with +'226). Households with modest incomes, but also young people under 35 or the self-employed, more frequently report losses, and in particular larger amounts. Conversely, households with a civil servant or, to a lesser extent, a private-sector employee less often report a reduction in income.