High level of satisfaction among 23% of the population
In the quarterly survey on personal well-being and living conditions, Statbel interviewed some 5,000 Belgians aged 16 to 74. In the second quarter of 2024:
- 64.2% felt always or usually happy,
- 9.1% felt always or usually lonely,
- 37.1% found it very difficult, difficult or rather difficult to make ends meet,
- 54.9% reported a high degree of general life satisfaction,
- 67.3% reported a high degree of satisfaction with personal relationships,
- 36.2% reported a high degree of satisfaction with their financial situation,
- 21.6% said their household income was higher than last year, and 68.6% said it was more or less the same as last year.
Belgians are most satisfied with their personal relations
Respondents were asked to give a score out of ten to their financial situation, their personal relationships and their general life satisfaction. In the second quarter of 2024, personal relationships score the highest on average: 7.8/10. It is followed by general life satisfaction with 7.4/10 and financial situation with 6.8/10. These observations have remained fairly stable since the survey began in 2021.
High degree of satisfaction
Those who gave 8/10 or more to general life satisfaction, financial satisfaction and personal relationships belong to the most satisfied group. Just under a quarter of Belgians (23%) are in this situation in the second quarter of 2024. The indicator shows clear differences between social groups. The highest level of general satisfaction is found among the highest income group (33.7%) and highly-skilled people (29.9%). The lowest general satisfaction is found among the unemployed (1.5%) and the long-term sick (4.7%).
Purpose and brief description
IALC (Infra Annual Living Conditions) is a quarterly survey on personal wellbeing and living conditions. It was created as part of the monitoring to social recovery in times of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Population
Members of private households in Belgium aged 16-74
Sample frame
Demographic data from the National Register.
Data collection method and sample size
The IALC survey was coupled to the Labour Force Survey (LFS). A limited module of questions was added at the end of the questionnaire for the respondents in the fourth wave of the LFS survey (in the CAWI/WATI questionnaire). This survey started in the third quarter of 2021 and is scheduled until the fourth quarter of 2024.
Definitions
Low-skilled people are people who have at best a lower secondary education diploma. Medium-skilled people have obtained an upper secondary education diploma, but no higher education diploma. High-skilled people have a higher education diploma.
Questionnair
Response rate
Statbel surveys some 5.000 Belgians aged 16 to 74.
Periodicity
Quarterly