Insee Première · November 2024 · n° 2022

Distributional national accounts in 2022 Cash transfers and public services increased the standard of living by 16% at the middle of income scale

In 2022, total resources of french resident economic units (or net national income) was on average 32,700 euros per capita and 46,700 euros per consumption unit (CU). This masked wide disparities. Before redistribution, the extended primary income was on average 114,700 euros per CU for the top 20% of usual standard of living, compared with 9,800 euros for the bottom 20%.

After considering all transfers (taxes, monetary social benefits and transfers in kind from public services), the extended standard of living of the top 20% averaged 78,700 euros per CU, while that of the bottom 20% averaged 30,400 euros per CU. In the middle of the income scale, these transfers increased living standards by 16%. In total, considering this extended redistribution, 57% of people received more in net terms than they pay out.

Net disposable income of households, measured after deduction of direct taxes and payment of monetary social benefits but without considering transfers in kind, was on average 32,200 euros per CU in 2022. It is 5.5 times higher for the top 10% than for the bottom 10%.