Well-being ‘here and now’: material well-being
Material well-being concerns the extent to which people are able to meet their basic needs and shape their own lives.
- Median disposable income per household and individual consumption (both in constant prices) are among the highest in the EU27 and are on an upward trend.
- Relative poverty, based on the European poverty threshold, is stable, and low compared with other EU countries.
- Based on the Dutch definition of poverty, both the proportion of children in poverty and the proportion of people in long-term poverty are falling.
Material well-being
in EU
in 2023
in EU
in 2024
| Theme | Indicator | Value | Trend | Position in EU | Position in EU ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material well-being | Median disposable income | € 34,000 per household (equivalised, 2023 prices) in 2023 | increasing (increase well-being) | 5th out of 27 in 2023 | High ranking |
| Material well-being | Individual consumption | € 32,091 per capita (2021 prices) in 2024 | increasing (increase well-being) | 2nd out of 14 in 2024 | High ranking |
Colour codes and notes to the dashboards in the Monitor of Well-being
An increasing share of people (aged 15 to 74) work. Net labour participation increased to 73.2 percent in 2024, the highest percentage ever. Nowhere else in the EU is the proportion of 15 to 74-year-olds in paid employment as high as it is in the Netherlands. The Netherlands is also among the European leaders in terms of median disposable income (in constant prices, base year 2023) and consumer spending in euros (in constant prices, base year 2021). In 2024, average expenditure per capita was approximately 32,000 euros. There is an upward trend in both median disposable income and individual consumption.
Besides the indicators of material prosperity in well-being ‘here and now’, the SDG 1 No poverty dashboard shows that a section of the population is financially vulnerable. In 2024, 26.1 percent of the population were very concerned about their financial future. That was less than in 2022 and 2023, when inflation was exceptionally high. Despite this decline, the share of the population that are very concerned is still higher than it was in 2021. On 1 January 2024, 8.9 percent of households were registered with relevant agencies due to problem debts. Relative poverty, based on the European poverty threshold, is stable, and low compared with other EU countries. Based on the Dutch definition of poverty, the proportion of both children in poverty and people in long-term poverty is falling. In 2023, the median buying power of the Dutch population increased, following a fall in 2022, the first in nearly 10 years. Lower-income households in particular benefited from the measures put in place that increased purchasing power in 2023. On 1 January 2023, the minimum wage was increased, and there were corresponding increases in social assistance benefits and state pensions. Low-income households also received higher care benefits and an energy allowance, while also benefiting from the energy price cap.
Supplementary to SDG 1, the SDG 10.1 Social cohesion and inequality dashboard shows that the Netherlands compares favourably with other EU countries in terms of income inequality. Also favourable are the falling trend in the Gini coefficient of wealth inequality and in the proportion of self-employed persons in poverty (3.7 percent in 2022). In the Size of vulnerable groups theme in Resilience of well-being here and now, we also see that unemployment is falling, that the share of the population without a basic educational qualification for the labour market continues to shrink, and that the percentage of people facing serious long-term limitations due to health problems is falling. Although these trends are all favourable, the absolute size of these vulnerable groups may be regarded as problematic. Additionally, social inequality is determined by more than just the distribution of income and assets. For this reason, aspects of social inequality and distribution also feature in other themes.