In 2022, the number of minimum social benefit recipients started to rise again, after a clear drop in 2021. Particularly marked growth with regard to the allowance for disabled adults (AAH) and that for asylum seekers ( ADA), reports the annual overview of the research, studies, evaluation and statistics department (Drees), published on Friday September 29.
After a sharp increase in 2020 due to the Covid-19 crisis and a decline in 2021, the number of beneficiaries increased by 0.4% to reach 4.34 million at the end of 2022, specifies the statistical service of the social ministries.
In detail, it is the number of beneficiaries of the allowance for disabled adults (AAH) who know “its strongest annual growth in ten years” (+ 3.4%), to reach 1.29 million at the end of 2022. The reasons for this strong growth, in particular for AAH1 beneficiaries – that is to say people with a disability rate greater than or equal to 80% – “remains to be clarified”underlines Drees.
An upward trend that is expected to continue
The upward trend which is also expected to continue, due to the “deconjugalization” of the AAH, a measure demanded for a long time by the associations, and which must come into force on Sunday.
The number of recipients of asylum seeker allowance (ADA) is also growing strongly (+ 45.3%) to reach a level slightly higher than that of 2019 (115,000). This increase is due to the increase in the number of asylum seekers and displaced Ukrainians, specifies Drees.
Concerning the old age minimum, the numbers, which were fairly stable since 2013 before increasing between 2018 and 2023 under the effect of the revaluation plans, continue to increase (+ 4.2% in 2022).
Clear decrease in RSA beneficiaries
Conversely, the number of beneficiaries of active solidarity income (RSA) has decreased significantly, by 6.2% in 2021 (a form of “return of the pendulum” after the economic crisis of 2020), then by 2.3% in 2022, thanks to a more favorable employment situation.
In total, including spouses and dependent children, 6.9 million people were covered by social minima at the end of 2021, i.e. one in ten people in mainland France and three in ten in the overseas departments and regions. (DROM), excluding Mayotte.
In 2021, 29.9 billion euros were paid for these social minima, or 1.2% of GDP, a figure down compared to 2020 (− 3.1%).