Subjective and objective poverty

'Subjective' poverty appears to vary a great deal more than the 'objective' risk of poverty. The share of those people who find it difficult (or very difficult) to make ends meet varies between 7% (Finland) and 63% (Bulgaria), according to the EU-SILC for 2009 (see Figure 16). In Hungary, Portugal, Romania, Cyprus, Greece, Latvia, Malta and Bulgaria, the share is over 40%. The share is even higher if we add those who report 'some difficulties'. The percentage of those who mention that they have any sort of difficulties in making ends meet (in contrast to finding it 'fairly easy', 'easy' or 'very easy') ranges from 17% (Sweden) to 93% (Bulgaria). However, the extent to which this subjective measure of financial strain overlaps with the proportion of people at risk of poverty, as indicated by their disposable income relative to the median, varies across countries.

Figure 16: 'Ability to make ends meet' in the total population, 2008 income year