In 2018, 340,000 Reunion Islanders were in a situation of material and social deprivation, or 40% of the population, according to INSEE. This share is three times higher than in mainland France and of the same order as the monetary poverty rate.
Some of these basic deprivations affect a majority of the population, like the lack of savings (seven out of ten people), the inability to afford a vacation (six out of ten people) and the difficulty of buying new furniture (more than five in ten). Deprivation affects the unemployed more, people in poor health, young households and non-graduates.
People affected by these deprivations more often encounter housing difficulties (noise, humidity, cramped) and are twice as often uncovered at the end of the month than the average.
