More than 40% of persons who lived as teenagers in households that were poor are at risk of poverty or social exclusion as adults, compared to fewer than 10% of those who grew up in wealthy homes, according to a study by the Belgian statistical office, Statbel.
The study was conducted as part of the 2023 EU-SILC survey on the intergenerational transmission of poverty.
In Belgium, 44.6% of adults aged 25 to 59 who grew up in financially struggling households are currently at risk of poverty or social exclusion, as against 8.9% of those from financially secure backgrounds.
Individuals who lived in owner-occupied homes at age 14 have a 77.1% likelihood of being homeowners as adults and a 13.3% chance of being at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Conversely, those from rented homes have a 47.9% likelihood of homeownership and a 33.8% risk of being socially excluded.
Children whose fathers have higher education levels generally have better educational and financial outcomes, according to the study.
Among those whose fathers have low education levels, 33.8% achieve higher education, and 26.4% are at risk of poverty or social exclusion.
Of those whose fathers’ have medium education levels, 59.8% earn degrees, and the exclusion rate falls to 11.0%.
When the father is highly educated, 82.9% pursue higher education, and the risk of poverty or social exclusion decreases to 7.8%.
Similar, if slightly more pronounced, disparities are observed when the mother’s educational level is taken into account.
