The number of people identified by the Banque de France as being in a situation of financial fragility was stable in France in 2022, at 4.1 million, despite the pressure of rising prices on household budgets.
The central bank publishes the annual report of the Observatory of banking inclusion on Monday at 12:00 p.m., complete on the subject, but made public some first figures earlier in the day.
Banks apply a whole series of criteria to identify this population, based in particular on banking incidents: bad checks, overdrafts, etc.
The subject of banking inclusion is sensitive since the return of inflation in France (measured at 5.1% over one year in May, according to INSEE) which compresses the household budget.
Last November, the Banque de France announced the establishment of a single telephone number, 3414, in particular to simplify access for this vulnerable public.
14% increase in microloans
The central bank also unveils a preview on Monday of an increase in microcredit last year, the outstanding amount of which increased by 14% last year to reach 1.95 billion euros.
This type of financing for personal or professional purposes is aimed at people excluded from the traditional banking system due to insufficient income and/or a situation of social insecurity, she specifies.
Finally, it highlights a number of over-indebtedness files down 7% in 2022 compared to 2021, a figure already published at the start of the year and regularly questioned by the unions, which do not consider it exhaustive.
Since its creation in 2013, the observatory has brought together some twenty members from the public sphere, the banking sector and social workers.
It is based on the work of a scientific committee, responsible for identifying the practices of credit institutions in terms of early and predictive detection of financial fragility and designing an inclusion dashboard allowing a better reading of the give back.
Financial fragility: banking offers for fragile customers
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