Insee Première · January 2022 · n° 1884

Slightly more than one in ten self-employed earned less than half the annual minimum wage and lived below the monetary poverty threshold

In 2019, there were more than 3 million self-employed people in metropolitan France. The activities they engaged were diversified, as well as their income. They worked as farmers, electricians, restaurant owners, hairdressers, pharmacists, lawyers or artists. For the hours worked, more than a quarter of the self-employed earned less than half the annual minimum wage. This was more common among women, young people entering the labour market, those who were still working beyond the age of 65, or in the information, arts and entertainment professions.

However, low earned income did not necessarily lead to monetary poverty. Indeed, the household income may have been increased by the income of a working spouse or the receipt of social benefits. Thus, with or without children, the self-employed were much more affected by monetary poverty when they did not live in a couple.

Overall, slightly more than one in ten self-employed people earned less than half the annual minimum wage and lived below the poverty line.