The average Slovenian assessed their general satisfaction with life with a grade of 7.1 on a scale of 0 to 10, which is 0.2 points higher than in 2014, the Statistics Office said in a preliminary report on Thursday.

The number of people struggling to make ends meet has decreased.

Last year, there were more people in Slovenia who were happy with their lives than those who were not. Some 67% of the former assessed their satisfaction with 7-10, while only 8% gave their lives a grade lower than 5.

According to the survey on income and living conditions, conducted in the first half of last year, absence of financial problems contributes to a higher level of satisfaction of people.

The severe material deprivation rate stopped at 5.8% last year, which is 0.8 percentage points lower than in 2014.

This means that some 117,000 people lived in households which had difficulties covering at least four of nine types of costs, including rent or mortgage, housing monthly loans, heating and food costs, annual one-week holidays, a car, washing machine, TV and phone.

The material deprivation decreased mostly because more people than in 2014 said they would be able to cover unexpected costs of up to EUR 600 with own funds or could go on a one-week holiday once a year.

People also had less difficulties paying housing costs than in 2014.

The final report will be published in mid-July.