Ljubljana - More than a quarter of Slovenian households have seen their incomes rise over the past year, while the share of households that have had problems paying their housing costs has also increased, shows a report by the Statistics Office. Meanwhile, 18% of households struggled to make ends meet with their income.

In the second quarter of this year, 28% of households estimated that their net income had increased in the 12 months before the survey, 11 percentage points more than in the last quarter of 2021, while the share of those whose income had decreased fell from 13% to 10% in the same period.

A quarter of households cited an increase in social transfers as the main reason for the increase in income, while a fifth cited an increase in wages. On the other hand, the main reason for a decline in income was a decrease in wages, with 18% reporting it as the cause.

In 34% of the households that faced a reduction in income this had no impact on the living standard. The rest adapted by reducing expenditure (31%) or using savings (17%).

According to the Statistics Office, 18% of households found it difficult or very difficult to manage with their income. On the other hand, about a quarter were able to manage easily or very easily. Roughly one in two households (54%) were able to afford an unexpected expense of EUR 700.

Meanwhile, the second quarter saw a rise to 13% in the share of households that had difficulties repaying their housing loan, non-housing loan or rent compared to the last quarter of 2021.

The statisticians also measured satisfaction with life, interpersonal relationships and households' financial situation over the entire three-quarter period surveyed. Two thirds of the population expressed a high level of satisfaction with interpersonal relationships, just under half (47%) with life and 29% with household finances.

On the other hand, 11% expressed low levels of satisfaction with their household's financial situation, 4% with life and 2% with interpersonal relationships.

In the period before the survey, 8% were happy all the time, 48% felt this way most of the time, and 10% were happy rarely.

As for loneliness, 45% never felt lonely and 6% felt lonely most of the time.